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.
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.
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
mattyb
Guest
I get the point of trialling players but don't you think it devalues the baggy green.Ahmad did get a go in the lead up game and didn't present an overly strong case.There's two lead up games before the ashes to also look at certain players.
ChrisB
Guest
All are bowling better than Harris, who hasn't played for ages. We have no idea how he's going to go. I'd say given his injury woes he has to prove he's up to a long bowl in one or both warm up games before being considered a certainty.
Rob JM
Guest
In four first class games for Middlesex before the windies tour, Voges scored 450 runs at 56 with a century and 3 50s. He has extensive county cricket experience. The "comfortable win" only happened because he scored 5 times as much as his nearest batsman teammate in the first innings
Bearfax
Guest
I'm a supporter of Voges because he is a proven scorer at first class level and treasures his wicket. We need someone who scores big but also doesnt get out easily, in the middle order.
CW
Guest
You have to remember that Johnno "terrorized the Poms" 18 months ago on lively Aussie decks. Doubt if England would be too worrried about him doing something similar on their flatter English pitches.They would be more worried about blokes who can bowl good line and length and move the ball both ways off the wide Duke seam , namely Harris and Hazlewood and can hoop the ball like a banana, such as Starc.
CW
Guest
There is no accounting for poor decisions by our selectors VIJ. We had won the series. Perfect time to bring in both Fawad and Mitch Marsh. They most certainly missed a trick in my view. They now have only the tour games to convince Rod Marsh that they deserve at least one test.
CW
Guest
Ryan Harris will now be joined by Mitchell Marsh, Chris Rogers and Peter Neville in an Elite International squad match against Hampshire Academy tomorrow, Is this a pointer to who will play in the first test. Or simply a way of giving some rusty cricketers some cricket?
Jameswm
Guest
That would be 2 good tests aginst the WI. Better than several tests of mediocrity by SMarsh. Voges earned that spot the old fashioned way - by constantly scoring runs at the level below test cricket.
Vijendran Jayaveerasingam
Roar Rookie
My problem with Voges is I don't like sticking him in to the Ashes based on one good test against the West Indies in a comfortable win. Saying that Chris Rogers showed that coming into the Ashes without much test experience but with plenty of first class experience can still work. I and a lot of people prefer Mitch Marsh over Watson. But to be a realistic first test option he really needed to play one of the two tests against the Windies I feel- and if he had stayed fit throughout the India series there probably wouldn't even need to be a discussion over his place.
Vijendran Jayaveerasingam
Roar Rookie
Fair point- Watson certainly has a lot more tricks in his bag right now. I just feel though that Mitch Marsh has potential to be more of a frontline option, whilst Watson is currently used as a more fill in- 5 overs here and there partnership breaker. And yes this has to be the watershed for Shaun Marsh for sure- if he does get the opportunity in the first test.
Vijendran Jayaveerasingam
Roar Rookie
Agree with Ahmed- I'm really disappointed he didn't get a go in at least the 2nd test against the Windies- why not give him a shot? Now if Lehmann wants to draft him into the Ashes he will have to come in untested at test level on the biggest stage...
13th Man
Guest
S Marsh ahead of Voges? Watson ahead of M Marsh? Highly disagree!!!!! Voges should bat at 4, clarke 5 and M Marsh 6. Drop the golden boys S Marsh and Watto and finally reward people on performance. On the bowling side of things very tough, Hazelwood is a lock, Harris if fit is a lock so it is between Johnson and Starc and Johnno gets first nod due to the fact we are playing England and he terrorised England last time. Starc the unlucky one to miss out. My XI for first test Warner Rogers Smith Voges Clarke M Marsh Haddin (Would like Neville but won't happen) Johnson Harris Hazelwood Lyon 12th Starc
CW
Guest
Very insiteful read VIJ. My views precisely. Got the side spot on BEAR. I think Hazlewood is a lock in. Has done enough in the Caribbean to convince the selector in my view. They still may want to see him in the county games before they rubber stamp his spot. I too would not be upset if Starc was called over Johnson. The simple truth is. The beanpole Starc is bowling better than Johnno at present. Plus he also swings the ball. We all know the English Duke ball can swing prodigiously particularly in murky English conditions.
CW
Guest
MJ. You are living in a fool's paradise if you still rate Watto as a test bowler. There are half a dozen blokes in shield cricket that are as effective a seamer as Watson. Yes he still has skills as a bowler and demands respect from batsmen. But the simple truth is he does NOT build enough pressure. Put simply. He does NOT take enough wickets to justify his place as a bowler. We all know about his deficiencies as a batsman. Mitch Marsh, though not having set the world on fire as yet at FC level, has had a reasonable start with the ball in test cricket.Correct. He has not snared many poles as yet. But he will. He is tall. Hits the deck hard and can move it off the seam. Wickets and plenty of them will come. If CA continue with the all rounder at #6 then Marsh is the best prospect for the future.
Jameswm
Guest
SMarsh ahead of Voges? Seriously?
MJ
Guest
Mentioning that is Mitch Marsh is a more threatening bowler than Watto because of a yard of pace is a flawed argument. Years ago, Watto bowled about 140, but it was straight up and down, and he got hit. He slowed down a little, and gets movement bowling about 130 ish, and is one of the better reverse swing bowlers we have. Oppositions treat his bowling with respect because it's effective. Mitch Marsh has bowled 61 overs at test level and has only one wicket to show for it. I prefer Faulkner to either Marsh or Watson, but that's another story. Shaun Marsh has had more chances in the Australian test side that most players dream of, and he's made little of that. Doesn't look convincing or secure. First class average is 38.40, if he was going to be a great bat, it would have happened by now. We're not planning for the future with him, he's 32 in a couple of weeks.
Bearfax
Guest
I would go for Warner Rogers Smith Voges Clarke M.Marsh Haddin Starc Harris Hazlewood Lyon Ahmed or Johnson 12th man. Tricky one about Johnson, and I wouldnt be upset if he is preferred over Starc, but I think Starc's recent efforts deserve recognition and Johnson has slipped a little. I would also be looking carefully at the Lyon/Ahmed issue. Ahmed deserves a chance to show his wares so he should play in at least a few of the tests. I think if we are looking for an all rounder for the future we should stick with M. Marsh and give him the experience at test level that he needs. If he falters bring in Faulkner. I believe Watson has had his day. I also think Neville should be tried out for a test or two, because I see him as probably the next in line for tests next year.