Australian coach Darren Lehmann and skipper Michael Clarke must use recalled batsman Phillip Hughes during the ODI series against South Africa and Zimbabwe in Harare.
Hughes, who has made more comebacks than Dame Nellie Melba thanks to selector’s whims, has been given yet another chance with injury-prone all-rounder Shane Watson ruled out with an ankle problem.
Hughes was dead-set unlucky, yet again, to be left out of the original squad after a month a heavy scoring.
Five days ago the 25-year-old leftie cracked an unbeaten 243, his highest first class score, for Australia A against South Africa A in a Townsville four-dayer.
That’s on top of his 202* for Australia A against India A in a 50-over game in Darwin. and 100* against India A in Brisbane in another four-dayer when he combined with Alex Doolan for an unbeaten opening stand of 202 – Doolan scored 91*.
When Hughes is on, and the last month has conclusively proved that, selectors mustn’t treat him as a net batsman as they have done before, and they did with Usman Khawaja in India.
But Lehmann has already shown his cards, suggesting Hughes will have to bide his time, even though David Warner isn’t touring, staying in Sydney for the birth of his first child.
Aaron Finch is assured of an opening berth, and so he should be, leaving Brad Haddin, even Michael Clarke, as Finch’s partner.
Hughes would be by far the best bet in his current mood, Clarke at three, Steve Smith four, Glenn Maxwell five, George Bailey six, Haddin seven, then the bowlers.
That’s a mighty strong lineup, and with the likes of pacemen Mitchell Johnson, James Faulkner, and Mitchell Starc down the order, all of whom can punish any attack.
Let’s see what happens in the selection of Australia’s first game of the series against Zimbabwe on August 25, and South Africa three days later.
blanco
Guest
its either that we have some ordinary bowlers in the ss or hug hes deserves another chance in the test setup @atgm- could be neither.Could only mean he has a mental block because its the highest level, greater expectation etc.Honestly I don't think it is the case.I certainly don't think our domestic pace battery is poor.He certainly should be considered cause guess what, no other batsman is scoring as many runs as he is doing.Hughes hasn"t succeeded at test level,yes but he is just going through a Waugh, Ponting phase.Some great players get in the team and take a while to really get performance suggesting that they should be retain.Hughes might come back scoring heaps and heaps now.But we just need to understand for some players its just one big knock before they get their game underway.
Tom from Perth
Guest
Haddin?? No way is he in the top 4 bats in Australia..
jammel
Guest
Hughes can make big scores. We need this in the Test team - ahead of the likes of Maxwell, Watson, etc. who can put together some quick 20s and 30s and add another handy bowling option…etc….. These guys can bat, yes. But Hughes can make big scores. Let's get real here - Hughes is certainly one of the best six batsmen in Australia. Therefore, he should be in the Test XI. Who are the best batsmen in Australia? 1 Clarke 2 Warner 3 Smith 4 fourth for mine is either Hughes or Haddin…. Everyone knows Hughes will be in for the Indian summer series. I look forward to it. Hughes might be on the fringes of the ODI XI - personally i don't think there's room for him in the ODI WC squad. I'd rather have Smith, Voges and even Shaun Marsh if available as the back-up batsmen.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Bosisto had also been utterly anonymous at grade level before they pitchforked him into the Shield team. BIg diffierence between age and open cricket.
bearfax
Guest
Yes I have oh Broken Hearted one. I had tongue very much tucked in the side of my mouth when I suggested Doran will be a test player in under 3 years at least. He's just a kid. He's a kid with exceptional talent, possibly the best in Australia in a generation given his displays in the juniors. But he's still a kid and has a long journey to travel before his full potential I believe is shown to us. But then only Bradman in Oz produced exceptional batting in first grade at that age, and I certainly dont expect him to be the next Bradman. But he could be the next Ponting, Lara, Tendulkar given how much more advanced he is going through against others his age and even a few years older. But as I said there is a long journey in front of him and there is the chance that he fails to achieve expectations. Young Bosisto was also producing some top line junior performances before he played his first Shield season for WA last year. He faltered but I suspect we'll see a lot more of him. Doran is probably better, but I doubt we'll see more than an occasional twinkling of his talent in his first year. I'm hoping we see at least one century in his first Shield season but even that may be being too optimistic at 17
Armchair Expert
Guest
You must be an optimist Bearfax, I presume you want Doran in the test team as keeper/batsman, first he'll have to leapfrog Neville and Carters in the shield team, then oust Haddin from the test team, I suspect your comment is tongue in cheek but it may come to fruition in 5-10 years.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Bearfax, have you followed Doran's first grade career? He's hardly set the world alight there.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Hughes will be considered for selection until hes 30 if by then hes failed to lock himself a spot by then selectors will probably give up on him.....my prediction is that he'll eventually come good and be more consistent.....in his late 20's though....
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I agree Hughes should be the one to come in to replace Rogers. I actually hope Rogers form is good enough to allow him to hold out Hughes a bit longer though. I think it will be better for Hughes to get most of another season under his belt. If Rogers could make it to the Ashes in England next year and the selectors don't select Hughes in the squad but rather tell him to go play County Cricket and be available as a backup for Australia if required, and then have him ready to jump in for the next Australian summer I think that would be perfect. A good amount of time back in FC cricket, honing his game, scoring big runs, working on his play against spin and other areas where he's struggled, and he'll be ready to go and be a really good test opener. Unfortunately, I don't know that Rogers will be able to do that. I think he's almost reached his limit already, and making it not just too the Ashes but right through that series might be asking a bit much at this stage of his career. So Hughes will likely come in sooner than that.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Smith has batted at #3 for NSW plenty of times, notably towards the end of the last Shield season where he would walk out at #3 and take charge as he led NSW to the Shield title. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Smith ends up batting #3 for Australia in test cricket. He's just matured so much over the last 12 months, and he's got the ability.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I concur.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
What real performers are you referring to? The discussion on Hughes is because he's been out-performing everyone.
Big Marn
Guest
Yup FTR Agreed. He is the Mark Rampakesh of Australian cricket. A revolving door in the side coming from massive success at First Class level (telephone number scores), Selection into the National Team, a string of failures, demoted back to First Class and the cycle starts again. An immensely (but unorthodox) talented player. It must be mental
Jules
Roar Rookie
Hughes will replace Rogers for the tests this Australian summer in the conditions where his FC record and form is head and shoulders above the rest. Australia needs someone who stays in once he gets going, not another Cowan type grafter. Hard on Rogers, but his age is against him.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
hughes isnt int.standard yet hes been top scorer in fc ckt for past few seasons.A bloke who has been found out for years now is still scorin against these young domestic bowlers makes one question the so called depth of this pace battery.....so its either that we have some ordinary bowlers in the ss or hughes deserves another chance in the test setup.....i hope its the latter
ozinsa
Guest
Geez it annoys me when people sit at home at take these sort of potshots. The guy has had technical issues that caused him to be found out by test bowlers. He has gone away each time and worked on them and come back a better player. That shows real guts in my view and great mental strength.
bearfax
Guest
Phil Hughes who? Actually I'm just hanging out for Doran to start his Shield season with NSW and move into tests early next year. Surely not too much to ask.
Carcass
Guest
Have to agree FTR. Hughes has had plenty of opportunities. It is not fair on the real performers if they keep going back to Hughes. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!
Nudge
Guest
Good on you Bearfax. Anyway I didn't think you were a fan at all of phil Hughes?
bearfax
Guest
I'll concede that Nudge. He is a little pedestrian. Not sure if that's because he is being extra careful or not because as seen in his recent 200 one day score he was flying in the last 70-80. But point is valid. At this stage he is not scoring as quickly as some others, though I suspect he protects his wicket a little more than some.