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Solving Australia's Ashes selection puzzle

Josh Hazlewood put in a man of the match performance for NSW in the one-day cup final. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Roar Rookie
16th June, 2015
17

As we edge ever closer to the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on July 8, there is one dark cloud looming over Australia’s otherwise sunny skies – Rod Marsh and his team of selectors have too many in-form cricketers to fit into an XI.

So how should they solve this problem?

The top six
There are eight realistic options to fit into six batting slots: David Warner, Shaun and Mitch Marsh, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Adam Voges and Steven Smith.

It goes without saying that Warner, Clarke and Smith are locked in. Smith in particular has been in astounding form, and at number three he has a crucial role as the new bedrock of Australia’s batting, looking to emulate Ricky Ponting.

That leaves three spots for Rogers, Watson, the Marsh brothers and Voges.

Mitch Marsh is an interesting one – after making an encouraging debut against India, injuries prevented him from cementing his spot, allowing Watson to ease back into the fold after his own injury.

Coach Darren Lehmann and captain Clarke have been vocal about how beneficial having an extra seamer is to the balance of the team. These comments have usually been praising Watson, however Marsh provides arguably a more threatening option with his extra yard of pace. Marsh is definitely one for the future, perhaps sooner rather than later, but he simply hasn’t played enough cricket lately to justify bringing him in for the first Test. Watson, unconvincing as he has been, will play the first Test.

Who partners David Warner then? With Rogers out with concussion, Shaun Marsh had a golden opportunity to put his name up in lights in front of the selectors, however despite a decent 69 in the second innings of the second Test, he failed to make an impression. Against the likes of James Anderson in England’s swinging conditions, Marsh may be vulnerable early. The experience of Rogers, who performed admirably in the last English Ashes, coupled with his impressive county cricket resumé, means he will take the second opening spot.

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So it comes down to Shaun Marsh versus Adam Voges. While the 35-year-old Voges had to wait for his Test debut, when it finally came he took it with both hands with a fantastic hundred against the Windies. Does one innings give him the right to usurp Marsh though? I don’t think so, hence Marsh will take the number five spot.

Australia’s top six: Warner, Rogers, Smith, Clarke, S Marsh, Watson.

The wicketkeeper/batsman, barring injury, will be Brad Haddin.

The bowling
The bowling selection is an even bigger conundrum. How can you fit five in-form, top-class bowlers into four spots? Someone is going to be very unlucky.

Mitch Starc, Mitch Johnson, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon were absolutely brilliant as a quartet against the West Indies, however the old master ‘Rhino’ Ryan Harris is rested and ready to lock horns with the English batsmen.

Despite the brilliance of Starc, Johnson and Hazlewood, when fit Harris is Australia’s premier fast bowler. It is highly unlikely that Harris will be fit to play/allowed to play all five Tests however, so all of Australia’s fantastic five will get a run in the Ashes.

Harris must be picked for the first Test though. He will relish the English conditions.

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A school of thought is possibly picking four seamers, leaving Lyon out, and including Voges instead of Shaun Marsh for the spin option. However the recently crowned leading Australian off-spin wicket-taker of all time is simply too valuable to be left out.

Josh Hazlewood has been compared to the great Glenn McGrath by many, and not without reason. Tall, with an easy action and a love for a good length and line, his rise has been a delight for the purists. The extra juice in the English pitches will have Hazlewood salivating, and along with his recent five-wicket hauls, he must be picked for the first Test.

So Mitch Johnson or Mitch Starc? It seems absurd that Johnson’s place is being discussed, but such is the riches of Australia’s bowling at the moment. My disappointment with Johnson is his batting. The side effect of all the effort Johnson put into his bowling to get back to the top after his international meltdown is his batting has failed to progress from its early promise. Anyone who watched his incredible 123 not out against South Africa in 2009 would’ve envisioned him batting at number six or seven by 2015 and being a genuine all-rounder. However he simply does not seem to care about his batting as much anymore, often falling early to loose shots.

Mitchell Starc always seems to be the fall guy of Australian cricket. Dropped 13 times in his 16 Tests, he has not received the regular run in the side he deserves. Against the Windies, he was touching 150km/h and carried on from his scintillating World Cup form. However after how much Johnson brutally terrorised England in the last Ashes series, he must be given the first opportunity, with Starc waiting in the wings if he has a mediocre Test. A harsh call, but one that has to be made.

So there you have it! Extremely debatable for sure, especially as many will want both Starc and Johnson in the XI. But in English conditions the balance of the attack is paramount.

My Australian XI
Warner, Rogers, Smith, Clarke (capt), S Marsh, Watson, Haddin, Johnson, Harris, Hazlewood, Lyon

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