With yesterday’s announcement that Cricket Australia has finally come to an agreement with the Players Association, it’s time to start planning ahead to the real challenge this Summer holds, the Ashes!
England currently hold The Urn after a hard fought 3-2 victory at home in 2015. It’s time for Australia to take charge and claim back what’s rightfully theirs.
Last time in Australia, England suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat, but don’t expect such an easy route this time around. They will be firing and eager to keep hold of the precious Urn.
Selected below, are the eleven players best equipped to take down The Poms with a nice mix of youth and experience. This side may change throughout the series but the seaming wicket the Gabba always seems to produce has played a role in the selection of this side.
1. David Warner
Warner is the second best batsmen in this side and one of Australias finest in history. With 5454 runs (average 47.42) and 18 Test hundreds, Warner will need to stand up to the English quicks at the top of the order. If Warner gets Australia off to a good start, sometimes it’s difficult for opponents to pull the momentum back. For Australia to succeed, he will need a big series.
2. Matt Renshaw
What a year it’s been for Renshaw. This time last year, he was gearing up for a big state season, trying to cement his place in the Queensland side. Now he’s a permanent fixture at the top of the order for Australia. Renshaw’s summer last year was the stuff dreams are made off, capped of by a brilliant 184 at the SCG.
Renshaw is the perfect foil to Warner as he can play his own game and accumulate runs down the other end while Warner stays on the offensive. Watch for Renshaw to have a huge summer against his native side.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
3. Steve Smith
Arguably Australia’s best batsman since Bradman, Steve Smith is clearly the best batsman in the world right now. As such, he must lead from the front and bat himself at first drop. With 5251 runs (average 61.05) and 20 hundreds to his name, the sky’s the limit for Smith.
Ricky Ponting’s Test career record of 13387 seems shaky at this stage as Smith’s divine run continues in the long form of the game. Smith needs to have a big summer if Australia are any chance to wrestle the Urn back from England.
4. Usman Khawaja
The unluckiest guy in Australian cricket last season. After having a absolute gangbuster of a summer (which included quite possibly the gutsiest hundred ever seen on Australian soil in last year’s day-night Test match against South Africa) Khawaja was dropped for the Indian Test series. Watch for him to have a big summer with the proverbial chip on his shoulder.
5. Peter Handscomb
The other newcomer to the side last Summer, Handscomb solidified his place on the team with several assured knocks. With a record of 597 runs (average 54.27) and two hundreds, Handscomb silenced his doubters made the number five spot his own.
Handscomb is the man you want coming in if Australia has lost three quick wickets. While his technique is quite uncommon, his eye and feel for the ball is second to none which should hold him in good stead for this summer.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
6. Glenn Maxwell
Quite possibly the most contentious spot on this side. Maxwell makes the cut in this instance, by virtue of a tremendously weak field against him. The Marsh Brothers are done at Test level and Hilton Cartwright just doesn’t provide enough with the ball to be considered an all rounder at this stage, while Nic Maddinson really dropped off the radar after his uninspiring debut last summer.
That leaves Maxwell, who took his opportunity with both hands, scoring a jaw-dropping hundred in the third Test against India earlier this year.
If Maxwell can continue scoring runs, while being able to chip in with ten or so overs of off-spin a match, he can be the perfect number six for Australia.
Should he falter in the first few Tests however, look for Cartwright or South Australia’s Travis Head to take his place.
7. Peter Nevill
“If only he could bat like Gilly”. A thought that has probably gone through every Australian Cricket fan’s mind at some stage about Nevill. His wicket keeping ability is second to none and is probably one of Australia’s finest gloveman ever.
Unfortunately in this day and age, a keeper is expected to be able to chip in with runs down the order and with only 468 runs at 22.28, Nevill is not cutting the mustard at this stage. However given that Matthew Wade – Australia’s incumbent keeper – has been less than impressive behind the stumps, Nevill gets the nod in this instance.
(AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS)
8. Mitchell Starc
The lead of Australia’s pace attack, Mitchell Starc is Australia’s undoubted best Test bowler right now. With 148 wickets at 28.35, he is the man Smith can turn to at any time if he feels he needs a wicket badly.
With nine 50s, Starc is also a very reasonable tail end batsmen and could arguably bat at 7 with Nevill in this side.
Starc is probably the man to watch out for this summer. In the 2013-14 Ashes series, Mitchell Johnson produced quite possibly the most ferocious summer of fast bowling anyone has ever seen – this time, it’s Starc’s turn.
9. Pat Cummins
At last, he’s fit! For years, Pat Cummins remained this enigma in Australian Cricket. He had played one Test, and single handedly won one Test. That was it. Between spinal stress fractures to ankle injuries, Cummins had been forced off the field year after year.
That changed this year when Cummins finally returned to the Test arena, playing the final two Tests against India. He looked good too, taking eight wickets, while also scoring some handy lower order runs.
Cummins is an absolute menace for batsmen and more than justifies his place on this side when he’s fit.
10. Nathan Lyon
Saved his Test match career in India with a terrific series. Took 19 wickets, including a career best 8/50 in the second Test.
You know what you’re getting with Lyon. He will give you solid line and length bowling with some turn and bounce. He’s unlikely to turn a game for you however, therein lying the problem for Australian Cricket.
Australia needs a leg spinner moving forward if they want to return to their past years’ dominant play. Mitch Swepson was taken to India but not used unfortunately as Australia went with the tried and proven combo of Lyon and O’Keefe in their search for Indian glory.
It didn’t come off however and as such, became a wasted opportunity for what could have been with the Swepson experiment. Going forward, both he and Zampa may be the long term solution.
However neither can be picked to make their debut in the first Test of an Ashes series. It’s not fair on them or the team. By default, Lyon keeps his place but by no means should he be resting on his laurels.
11. Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood completes the pace trio in this side. His line and length bowling is the perfect fiddle to Cummins and Starc and will suit the conditions provided by the harder Australian wickets.
Hazlewood boasts the exemplary record of 118 wickets at 25.39 and is the closest thing Australia has had to Glenn McGrath since the man himself.
Hazlewood fits in perfectly into this side and should perform well this Summer.
The last few months have certainly not been the easiest for the Australia setup. But now the contracts have been signed, it’s time to push the go button on the year’s Ashes preparations! England will be ready – so must Australia be, come day one at the Gabba.
Cam
Guest
Decent! better than this sites side. Particularly like the bit on sayers, how can you make the third best wicket taking season in the shield and be considered as small and slow. Would add Patto and Head in there
matth
Guest
I would love to see M Marsh put in two injury free seasons in the Shield and get some maturity into his play. I feel he was treated as the next coming of Botham a little too early and has suffered for it. I'd l,ike to see him just picked for the Australian ODI team for the next couple of years and build up his long form credentials. I agree he still has great potential, but he needs to learn more flexibility in his batting.
Dave
Guest
People going on about Khawaja being unlucky not to be picked against India need to get over it. It was one of the most justified horses for courses selections of all time. I doubt he averages much above 20 against spin. He gave a foretaste of what might happen against good spin when he got out on 96 to a straight one from Duminy in Perth, arguably contributing to Australia's loss despite the decent score. Then got out for 0'in Hobart to another straight one from the other SA no-name offspinner. On top of his abysmal results in Sri Lanka and his technique, the selectors had every reason to suspect he would be a big risk against Ashwin and Jadeja. People were hard on S Marsh in the end but his batting helped win one Test. But agree Khawaja should be back in the team for the Ashes.
danno
Guest
Cartwright at 6 and Whiteman/Carey at 7. Neville has had lots of chances with the bat and come up short.
Luke
Guest
Finally an article recommending no more Marsh brothers Wade should bat 6 and Pattinson 7 imo
Don Freo
Guest
Just a comment on the Marshes, Ben. No way is Mitch finished. How old do you think he is? He is a very special talent...better with bat than ball. He has shown it...he just needs to harness it. He won't tour any time soon but a season or two of Shield success and you still have 7 years of top Test quality to come...quite likely Test captaincy. I hope he gets the Warriors captaincy ahead of Klinger.
Don Freo
Guest
The batting of Starc, Cummins and Pattinson put together, adds up to the batting of two all rounders, even a specialist batsman and an all-rounder. Those 3 allow the keeper...any keeper...to come in at 6 and play 4 quicks and Lyon.
Don Freo
Guest
New to the site, Jimbo?
Don Freo
Guest
Who's your youth among the new players, Jimbo? Khawaja and Sayers? How young do you think they are?
Don Freo
Guest
It's all really just a holding pattern until Whiteman's finger is no longer an issue. Given an injury free run, he is a gun with the bat...the best of all the contenders. Carey is very good and Nevill continues to do well while Wade is only good by reputation. Whiteman is classy, neat, has all the shots and scores quickly when he needs to and can crank it back when he needs to. His keeping is safe, faultless and often brilliant. WA's other keeper, Josh Inglis, is quite likely to get a game as a batsman alone if Whiteman comes back.
Rellum
Roar Guru
In today's game where batting is more important than keeping it seems that ratio is just fine. It is very average for an international keeper in my opinion. Wade has to score runs otherwise his spot in the team has to be under pressure because his keeping is not good enough to justify his spot alone.
jameswm
Roar Guru
If Cartwright scores big in the first few rounds of the Shield, I would look at him for sure. He has had some good spells, and if he does it again, he is proving it is no fluke. If he could bowl like Mitch Marsh it would be nice, but it's not crucial.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I'm sure the selectors won't drop him, but I wouldn't pick him. 1 miss per 2 tests - that is acceptable now?
Matth
Guest
Settle down, it was an honest mistake. I read your comment on a mobile and thought you were referring to Behrendorff. You didn't use any other nicknames at all so I wasn't ready for it. And yeah I've been watching cricket in Australia since 1977, so I am ok thanks Jimbo. And my point still stands. Our bowling ha so not been our problem, and yet you are changing 50% of the bowling line up. One of whom will be a debutant legspinner with 14 first class matches to his name and a first class average in a par with Lyon's test average, who is not in any way Shane Warne.
Ben Sewell
Roar Pro
Uzzi will play at the GABBA. It his (adopted albeit) home ground and always does well in AUS Summers.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I didn't support him coming back in to the test side but he averaged 30-odd with the bat in India with 12 dismissals, missing only two clear cut chances over four tests. It's not stellar but it's solid enough that the selectors simply won't drop him, particularly when you consider that Nevill was much worse in Sri Lanka. The ODI stuff shouldn't matter much when it comes to test form, although he had solid ODI form prior to the Champions Trophy..
Troy Merritt
Guest
Wade's stocks went up after keeping well enough in India, he's valued for his contributions around the group too. He will be the incumbent until another keeper forces their way in through volume or runs. It doesn't matter how well anyone else is keeping - of a keeper is doing their job well, nobody notices. The number 6 spot will really depend on the Bangladesh tour and the first few shield rounds. Maxwell has a shot to cement it if he does well in Bangladesh, Cartwright will come into the equation is he stacks up runs in the first few shield rounds. The quality of their bowling really doesn't factor into it - neither of them would be picked on their bowling alone and Smith barely bowls anyone outside the front line bowlers. I also think that someone could force their way into the middle order - if either Khawaja or handscomb has a poor tour of Bangladesh, a spot could open up. Bowler wise, I'd love to see Pattinson get a go - he has been cleaning up in England and is a handy batsman. Save Cummins as a shock weapon for Perth.
Nudge
Guest
Most sporting teams now have a no DH policy. Look like the Aussies are going down the same track
Troy Merritt
Guest
About the same as O'Keefe's if you take away the first test?
Jimbo
Guest
who's saying i'd debut him in the ashes? blood him in Bangladesh if he goes well debut him in the gabba (in his home ground) Lyon isnt even the best spinner in the country (statistically or based on match performances) - outperformed by SOK in every innings bar one they have bowled together... new look team under Smith- time to blood new talent.. No one cares if you think he is a top bloke