Thought you’d solved the Australian batting order mystery for Boxing Day? You’d have done well, with all the quotes, updates and selection statements made in the aftermath of Australia’s big first Test win over the West Indies in Hobart over the weekend.
All seemed to be heading towards a Joe Burns versus Shaun Marsh showdown for the last spot in the order, with the confirmation that Usman Khawaja had been recalled to the Australian side for the Melbourne Test.
There was the mere detail of Khawaja needing to prove his fitness for a Test cricket return via the Big Bash League to gloss over, and for the most part, that glossing over came easily as reporting and opinion quickly jumped to the ‘if they’ve picked him, he must be right to go’ conclusion.
Before being named for his potential return, Khawaja had made what I thought was a really sound argument about finding his fitness playing Twenty20.
“It’s not so much the lower intensity stuff that’s going to get a hammy, it’s the higher intensity stuff – so actually pushing it in the BBL will probably be a bit harder in some respects,” he said in a News Limited interview before the Hobart Test.
“It’s a bit more of a test than it would be coming back in the four-day game in some respects.”
When he was named, the expectation – a spoken requirement, even – was that Khawaja would need to get through both Sydney Thunder games this week, the Sydney derby on Thursday night, and then back up on Sunday to face the Melbourne Stars at the MCG.
If he got through those two games, the implication was, then and only then would the selectors get into the looming selection headache that Marsh’s emphatic 182 has brought upon them.
One part of the puzzle has been resolved, with Darren Lehmann saying in Hobart on Sunday that all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will definitely not make way in any batting order reshuffle.
“There has been talk about six batsmen and no all-rounder, but we saw in the day-night Test against New Zealand, when Mitchell Starc got injured, that you need the all-rounder,” Lehmann said.
“So we will certainly play Mitchell Marsh [on Boxing Day].”
That put opener Burns in the firing line, who after starting the Australian summer with a bang in Brisbane, with 71 and 129, has followed with 40 and 0 in Perth, 14 and 11 in Adelaide, and 33 in Hobart.
Not helping Burns’ cause was Lehmann’s admission that he’d be happy with Khawaja opening in a Test match.
“I would – but the captain might not want that. We have to work out the best six and the batting order from there,” Lehmann said.
“If [Khawaja] comes back in, someone will miss out and we have to work out who that is.”
But on Monday, the news filtered through, first from the Thunder themselves, but then Cricket Australia, that Khawaja wouldn’t be lining up in the BBL05 opener on Thursday night.
“Cricket Australia have been working with Thunder medical staff on Usman’s return to play criteria following his hamstring injury. At this stage the plan is to have him return for the Thunder’s second match against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Sunday. His participation will be confirmed later in the week,” the Thunder statement said.
CA confirmed the development, and though it would appear the decision was made on CA medical staff recommendation, the wording of their report seemed to put the decision back on the western Sydney outfit.
“The Thunder medical staff, in conjunction with Cricket Australia, have instead identified the December 20 clash against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG as Khawaja’s likely return,” the www.cricket.com.au report read.
Plot, meet thickening agent.
Curiously, only hours after this was all reported, Khawaja was batting in a Thunder centre wicket session, was hitting the ball very well and moving reasonably well between wickets, too, albeit without a great deal of intensity and certainly without the pressure of a match situation.
Regardless, he now has just three hours and change on Sunday night to prove that his hamstring will be right to go for probably not all five days of the Melbourne Test.
Throughout this whole situation, I kept thinking about how Lehmann has responded to the inevitable questions of Khawaja’s return, and which batsman might make way for Melbourne.
“Usman’s first got to be fit. If he’s not fit he won’t play,” Lehmann told Damien Fleming on Cricket Australia’s Stumps show at the conclusion of the Hobart Test.
“We’ve got to make sure he’s playing BBL to get some sort of match fitness and see how the strain of the hamstring is.”
“We certainly need him playing and with the hamstring we don’t want him playing Test match cricket if he’s not fully fit,” Lehmann said of Khawaja post-match in Hobart.
“He will have to be sharp in those Big Bash League T20 games he’s playing and get through those – then we’ll make a decision from there.”
It’s an obvious and valid point, one I’ve thrown up myself over the last few days when commentary has inevitably gotten ahead of itself.
But why make the decision on Monday morning to rule Khawaja out of playing on Thursday night? If “playing BBL to get some sort of match fitness” is an important part of the equation for a Test recall, why not give him every opportunity to play?
If there’s a known risk of re-injury, then why put those requirements for a return up at all? And if there was a risk that Khawaja wouldn’t be right to return via the BBL, then why name him in the Test squad in the first place?
I can’t help but wonder if a medical overrule is how the selectors will avoid what would undoubtedly be a tough decision.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I'd Imagine Uzzy locked and loaded now...... It's now just a question of Burns or S Marsh.......
Ash
Guest
Brett this is a pointless article. Any player needs to be fit before they play. As long as they are fit doesn't really matter if they have one or 10 bbl games. Bottom line is Khawaja is in the starting lineup if he is fit. As ponying and others in the know have suggested -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
It's a different fitness test though isn't it? It's a different thing fronting up the day after and putting your body through the same thing again.
Gav
Guest
He deserves, based on talent and age, to be given to the end of the WI Tests to get a good innings. If needs be Smith should throw him up the order, to give him a good shot, if we are dominating to the point of boredom. I do wonder if the 'must have an allrounder' selection policy is crueling our batsmens desire to improve their bowling. You go back to the Waugh, Taylor, Border, Chappell eras, and we always had a couple of batsmen that were very adequate part time bowlers.
Felix
Guest
Nice musings Brett, I am 100% in agreement that Khawaja won't play and they'll use Boxing Day as a batting tryout for Marsh and Burns. If water finds it's own level, Marsh will make way. I'm going to throw some adages from test coaches gone by to further muddy the waters: "He will be given up until the 11th hour to prove his fitness" "He is a game by game prospect at this stage" "You never change a winning lineup"
James T
Guest
I'm backing ussie won't play, burns and marsh will get half centuries and Mitch will get few runs and a couple of wickets leaving us in the same predicament come Sydney. Surely Warner, smith and Voges can bowl well enough to account for 10 overs a day, u only pick an all rounder if they are good enough with either bat or ball not because they can do a little of both.
Don Freo
Guest
Not at all. Just pointing out that if you can't accept the achievement of Marsh and Voges, you need to also consider the feeble opposition provided by NZ. If you read comments instead of gainsaying by reflex, you'd see that I think Khawaja comes in and Marsh misses if Ussie is fit. You typecast way too blindly.
Kano
Guest
I agree, make sure Khawaja is 100% before a decision is made. I would hate to see Burns dropped as the points you make about him holding his spot are correct. He has failed in a couple of innings but has helped his teammates by blunting the new ball in most of the others. Im not sold on him completely but he has combined well with warner and hasn't scored that badly this summer. Shaun Marsh got a whole series (ind) before he was dropped and he had some seriously bad scores. Voges got a whole ashes series on the back of a century in the previous series so i can't see why Burns shouldn't be given the same treatment. At least give him another test. To me dropping a player with 6 tests to his name, an average over 40 and 3 50's and 1 100 seems strange.
spruce moose
Guest
It's offensive. You've just used the eddie macguire "it's a joke" defence. I don't attack players personally, and i certainly make jokes based on religion or race I won't allow myself to be put in your camp.
spruce moose
Guest
So, you weren't diminishing khawajas equally excellent brisbane innings by rubbishing the nz attack then? If you are going to qualify innings, you have to apply it to all. Not some. A true treasure.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Brett, He's not a parody account, but he is usually just winding people up. Everyone now and again he's on point and having a decent discussion.
Don Freo
Guest
Of course it's on. People make Christmas jokes, Jesus jokes...even from the pulpit...all the time. Perhaps you should look to your preciousness next time you denigrate a player.
Don Freo
Guest
It's not all about you. Many people get challenged here. I have challenged you, Brett, Bear, Spruce...any anti-Marsh fan. It's actually OK to do that. Regarding your conclusion...I do have the Oz match committee seeing things my way. Maybe it's the 7 or 8 of you Roarers who think you represent "everyone else" that might not have the consensus you think you have. You just post a lot. I just answer you...a lot. There...that's better.
Don Freo
Guest
It's not all about you. Many people get challenged here. I have challenged you, Brett, Bear, Spruce...any anti-Marsh fan. It's actually to do that.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He's not being challenged. It's me you are challenging Don. Brett is just highlighting how ludicrous your comments are. But yes Don, you must be right and it's everybody else that's crazy...
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
It's pretty fair to say that the Kiwis served up a pop-gun attack in that first innings at the Gabba. As for the WACA, I think we should come to an agreement to never mention that pitch again for being a travesty on a competitive contest between bat and ball. So I'm not sure it's that stark a difference. Nevertheless I do think Khawaja is the incumbent and if fit will get the nod.
Don Freo
Guest
Never suggesting one was better than the other. Just pointing out that diminishing an outstanding piece of batting because you don't like the bloke needs a more consistent argument. Other equally excellent Australian cricketers have also had favourable circumstances when they cashed in. Just apply the same standards. You seem to always demand that if you favour someone, you have to prove the other is sub-standard. Sporting excellence doesn't work that way.
Brett McKay
Expert
"That was a triple century waiting to happen." There it is. I know I'd eventually get confirmation at some point that Don is a parody account. And then this gem, "..you are not worth engaging in conversations about cricket." Quite...
spruce moose
Guest
The irony of seeing someone accuse another person of being a troglodyte and yet be unable to spell the word correctly is delicious.
spruce moose
Guest
Moderators: How did this comment pass your guidelines? That's not on.