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From Thursday through to Sunday we will see players from state teams battle it out to fill the myriad of spots in the Australian XI.
Because of the results that have befallen Australia overseas and continued on our own shores, the selectors, the captain and the public are looking to players to stand up.
Yesterday, Steve Smith demanded, “players that are willing to get in the contest… have some pride in playing for Australia, some pride in the baggy green.”
If there was ever a time for players who are in jeopardy of being dropped – or indeed, players on the periphery – to perform it is now.
Across the nation we will witness places in the team decided.
The price of admission? At most $10, though two of the grounds have free admission.
Out west in Perth, WA take on Tasmania.
Apparently Adam Voges is doomed to lose his place for the next Test match. Is there a way to snatch it back from the edge? Yes.
Voges needs to take what is his last opportunity to save his spot in the team and a big hundred is the only result acceptable. It’s do or die for the veteran and he has the chance to be the master of his fate.
WA all-rounder Mitch Marsh is also playing. Recently dropped for Callum Ferguson and probably not in the selectors’ minds, having said that the man he was dropped for failed to impress on debut.
Then you have one of four spinners fighting for the designated role in the current line-up and more importantly to have a ticket on the trip to India next year. Ashton Agar is young and only has two Tests to his name.
He might be able to carve out a role as a bowling all-rounder if he can build on his strong performance against New South Wales.
For Tasmania it’s George Bailey and Jackson Bird, the batsman and the paceman. Bailey scored a gritty, unbeaten ton on his last time out and doing the same could warrant selection.
Bird was the bowler dropped “for his batting”. Never mind that it’s wickets that will get him back in the side. There is one pace spot up for contention and there’s plenty of competition. Will Bird sink or soar?
At the Gabba, Queensland host South Australia.
Opener Joe Burns is on notice and the most culpable of the current Australian batsman in the last Test. He has to score runs and plenty of them.
With South Australia’s Jake Lehman and Travis Head wanting to make their own cases for a spot in the middle order. Wedged in between those two is Callum Ferguson.
After one Test he is playing for his Test career. If he wants to have any sort of Test future going forward it is crucial he performs.
The truly delightful battle is between the two South Australian bowlers: Chadd Sayers versus Joe Mennie!
Boy oh boy this is going to be tense. The pair have both been part of the Australian squad, though only Mennie has donned the baggie green.
The trouble for Sayers is that Bird and Mennie are probably ahead of him in the eyes of those who matter. It would take something truly special from Sayers considering Mennie only got one innings to bowl at the South Africans. Don’t write him off though.
Finally, the most exciting of them all: NSW versus Victoria at the SCG.
A wicket that will have an abundance of turn, three spinners in contention and the incumbent Nathan Lyon is under more pressure than ever.
Despite Steve O’Keefe being in the same team as Lyon, he is the main threat to his position.
O’Keefe picked up eight wickets at the SCG and the spinners took 28 of the 37 wickets that fell in that match.
The last spinner with an opportunity Jon Holland. He’ll be looking to steal the show from the New South Welshman.
What is fascinating about the SCG pitch is the difficulty it throws up at the batsmen.
NSW’s Kurtis Patterson and Nic Madinson were part of a very select few who impressed when batting there, picking up 116 and 60 respectively.
The batting stocks of Victoria aren’t something that’s often fancied, yet Victoria captain Mathew Wade is throwing his support behind Peter Handscomb who has picked up two 50s in the shield and fresh off a century in grade cricket.
Speaking of Wade, him and NSW Peter Nevill might have a battle of their own to win the keeping duties for the Adelaide Test.
It would be a big jump for Handscomb and there are others, who Australia would turn to before him, but he has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
There is all that and more to play for and more over the coming days. The old days of players having a patent on their position in the XI are long gone. At least six spots are genuinely up for grabs, who will take them?
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