Following two unprecedented bludgeonings at the hands of a dominant South Africa, an overhaul of the Australian team is expected for the final Test.
Steve Smith appears exhausted, and David Warner, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood have shouldered a huge workload.
While these four appear to be the only players guaranteed selection for Adelaide, let’s give them a rest and take full advantage of a rare dead rubber.
It’s time for the audition XI.
The rules here are pretty simple. All players selected have never played a Test match, and preference has generally been given to those who have not played any international cricket.
With eleven fresh baggy green caps ready to be distributed, let’s get into my side.
Openers – Matt Renshaw, Travis Dean
This old school pair will be 0/50 at lunch on day one. The best part of that equation? No wickets lost. Let’s wear out the Protea quicks, and then plunder a big total.
Middle order – Peter Handscomb, Kurtis Patterson, Nic Maddinson, Travis Head
There’s a lot to like in this group. Handscomb has been in stellar form and will have the benefit of facing tired bowlers.
Patterson, Maddinson and Head all provide attacking options, with Patterson in particularly strong form this season. Head and Maddinson also offer handy spin bowling options.
Wicketkeeper – Jake Doran
Young Doran has already usurped Dunk and Paine as Tassie’s main gloveman this year, and has a good chance of being Australia’s next long-term ‘keeper. He’s good enough to bat in the top six and now is the time to see what he’s got at international level.
Bowlers – Chadd Sayers, Kane Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Chris Tremain
Jon Holland would have got the nod if he didn’t make his Test debut in Sri Lanka. With two part-time spinners, an all-pace line-up with variety should keep the South African batsmen on their toes.
Sayers and Richardson get a chance to debut in familiar, swing-friendly conditions, while Behrendorff has been in line for a Test berth for several seasons now. Tremain is a strong performer at Sheffield Shield level, who generates awkward bounce while maintaining tight lines.
What do you think, Roarers? Who would you have in your audition XI?
Pete Craig
Guest
agree with most of your chances but move Maddison and Head ad 3 and 4 then keep Warner at 5 Smith at 6 with the bowler there has to room for O Keefe as a spinner
dan ced
Guest
I think Patterson may open, I checked the Aus A scorecards and he got a century opening.
horse
Guest
Daniel and armchair expert are so right: Handscomb is a no-brainer.
armchair expert
Guest
Handscomb's a no brainer, especially with Australia's apparent 2 best batsmen going cheaply on the same wicket, same day, in case anyone wants to suggest it's a batsman's parsdise.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
You can add the over 25's without adding a single batsman to your list. I expect Greg Chappell and Pat Howard's under age 24 first grade quota is partly to blame for that.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Patterson averages 42 but he is the closest we have to meeting that criteria, apart from Lehmann who hasn't played 25 games.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Mine would be Renshaw Hughes Patterson Handscomb Heazlet Lehmann Hartley Behrendorff Sayers Stanlake Sweapson
Rellum
Roar Guru
I am very sceptical that Doran has usurped rather than CA telling Tassie he is now first choice keeper.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Swepson is your spinner, but I would also pump for Boyce. Boyce rips it more than anyone and Swepson does have very good control. Just a matter of his ability to deceive and turn it.
Daniel Gray
Roar Guru
Handscomb's 215 today wasn't enough for you?
Rob JM
Guest
I would pick Renshaw for the experience. If he scores a ton you could play marsh down the order potentially. We are going to need him in India.
idiot savant
Guest
We have nothing to lose so may as well pick an attacking side. First the match conditions. The pink ball will swing like blazes and the Saffers have a good set of in form swing bowlers who set up for right handers. So we should pick 6 left hand batters, in form swing bowlers, and an attacking leggie. What have got to lose? So my side rests Starc, moves Khwaja back to open and keeps only Smith as a rhb. Warner, Khawaja, Pattinson, Smith, Head, Lehman, Wade, Zampa, Hazelwood, Behrendorf, Bird.
Amrit
Roar Guru
Renshaw deserves a chance, so may be he. Maddinson would again give the Aussies a left-right combo up to six, like the Proteas top six. Other than that, no one.
Jay Dunbar
Roar Guru
Gidday James, nice analysis. As for Sayers, I thought he bowled quite well, especially in the morning session. QLD were 1/40 at lunch. What really stood out to me in the morning session was how often he made the batsman play. Khawaja especially had to defend almost every ball, nothing was able to be leaved. I was thinking during the day how effective he could be in the Test team as a 1st change bowler in the mould of Paul Reiffel, who I thought was a great compliment to our strike bowlers. But i'm not sure how effective he would be as a strike bowler in Test cricket. If M Marsh was able to get his batting to a point where he could play as a number 6 batsman, a pace attack with Hazelwood, Starc and Sayers would be perfect.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
I think you're being slightly harsh against Lynn. He had a bit of trouble keeping up his usual strike rate (150+) against spin in the big bash last year, that's hardly not having a clue against spin. I'd want to see him play spin in the longer form before I wrote him off like that.
Daniel Gray
Roar Guru
That was definitely one of the challenges, as I rated Swepson quite highly. I think right now he's ahead of Zampa and Boyce in long-form cricket, and I'm pretty excited to see how he develops in the next couple of years.
Daniel Gray
Roar Guru
I gave up on a spinner when I realised I couldn't pick Agar or Holland, although Agar is injured, which rules him out of contention. Zampa and Boyce seem to be short form options at the moment, along with Muirhead. Hopefully one of them will stand up in long-form cricket in the coming years. Fawad Ahmed would be better than any of them, but seems to have fallen behind Holland in the Vics' pecking order.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
Thanks Daniel. Yeah I was surprised Swepson didn't get a game this week. He's been in the squad consistently for the past year or so but they left him out for this one. Not quite sure why Floros it's a bits and pieces player at best. Average spin bowling and average batting. I get why you've gone with only players picked in this round, if you're not playing in this round you're no chance for the next test.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Oops sorry. Just realised. Can't have played test cricket rules Agar out. Let me think about that one. Probably the only spin option who hasn't played a single test would be throwing someone to the Wolves a bit with a Zampa or Boyce who is struggling for any FC impact.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah if he can keep, it's a good option. Whiteman doing well now, hope he makes consistent runs. I think it'll be like this: 1. Warner 2. Probably not Burns or Bancroft. 20yo Renshaw a smokey. Really up in the air 3. Khawaja safe 4. Smith 5. not sure - maybe Ferguson gets another shot. Ferguson, Maxwell, Lehmann all failed, Voges ret hurt and Marsh injured. Probably Patterson if he gets runs 6. Handscomb - should be in now 7. Nevill in I think, Handscomb and Whiteman the other options 8. Starc 9. Hazlewood 10. Bird/Sayers - not Mennie I don't think 11. Lyon or SOK or Bird/Sayers (4th quick) It's a long tail with 3 of Hazlewood, Lyon, Sayers and Bird, or can Sayers bat?