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The weary and battered Australians make their way to Northampton for a three-day tour match starting on Friday; they must be beside themselves with excitement.
The challenge of Northampton is not just playing a meaningless tour match when the Ashes is already lost, but sorting out a host of selection headaches – not least the curly one of what to do with Michael Clarke.
He is confirmed to play in the last Test, and many believe Clarke deserves that from Cricket Australia, so logic follows that he must play at Northampton, if for no other reason than he is out of form and needs to find something to do himself justice in his last hurrah.
The alternative view would be to let him rest, find his emotional mojo, and prepare himself as retiring Test captains should be allowed.
The more sinister view is that Clarke has put the selectors in a difficult position by retiring while at the same time stating he will play at The Oval, when surely the last Test would have been an ideal opportunity to let Steve Smith get a flavour of Test captaincy in in England.
If Clarke doesn’t play there will be whispers, if he does some will still whisper. But if cricket logic applies, then Clarke should not play at The Oval.
In many respects this would be the ‘Australian way’, with Australian selectors not being known for letting their greats retire on their own terms, unless of course Clarke did a deal and asked for one last Test before being pushed.
But there is also the issue of the message this sends if Clarke plays. It would surely say, “We’re over this tour, nothing good has come of it and it really doesn’t matter what happens at The Oval.”
Not the usual Australian way, and if Darren Lehmann and Rod Marsh were true to form they would do a Brad Haddin on Clarke for cricketing reasons. Take the stance that they will only play those with a perceivable Test future, less Chris Rogers who has been the best batsman.
No Clarke, no romantic notion to bring back Haddin and Shane Watson for one last hurrah with their old compadre, and no point in playing the tour’s fringe dwellers at Northampton.
Selection headaches for sure, but in reality Clarke will play at The Oval and poor old Hadds, Watto and the fringe dwellers will wearily traipse out on what is predicted to be a rainy and cloudy day at Wantage Road.
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