With just 40 days until the first ball is bowled in anger between Australia and England, Damien Fleming has put his selection cap on for The Roar and picked the team he thinks can reclaim that tiny urn.
The former Australian fast bowler is happy with the current crop of speedsters Australia has at its disposal and would keep Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc as the guys to do the damage to England’s top order.
He admits players like Chadd Sayers would be unlucky to miss out.
“He can’t do any more at domestic level, but you’re behind a lot of excellent quicks,” Fleming said.
“But I’d be hoping Chadd would be going on an England tour, A South African tour, a New Zealand tour – you know those ones that really suit his bowling.”
“But I mean what about Jackson Bird? He bowled beautiful last summer. We know he’s the Test standard fast bowler.”
Fleming would also keep Nathan Lyon in the 11. His average of 34.55 with the ball in Australian conditions is among the best for spin bowlers in recent times.
“You look at Harbhajan Singh, Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) – look at their records in Australia. They’re two of the best off-spinners to play the game. They average about 70 to 80.”
To take the pressure off Lyon, Fleming would also pick Glenn Maxwell who he feels is more than capable of tieing down an end with the ball and also blasting the opposition with the bat.
(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
“If the pitches are the way they normally are, he’s going to score four fifties at least at a run ball,” Fleming said.
“He averages over 40 for Victoria for a fair period of time. He’s going to open up Test matches at number 6. He’s also a brilliant fielder and a handy bowler.”
In terms of the rest of the batting, Fleming would stick with Peter Handscomb and Usman Khawaja, who he was quick to point out averages more than 60 with the bat in Australia.
The biggest concern for the 47-year-old is the wicketkeeping and the inconsistency of Matthew Wade.
“Big wrap for Wade’s batting but it just hasn’t clicked has it (with the keeping)? You know I think he’s a fine batsman.”
“I like Peter Nevill’s keeping. I know he’d average 25 or 30 and Alex Carey I haven’t seen much of but they’ve got big raps on him.”
According to the former swing bowler-turned commentator, it all comes down to the Sheffield Shield games before the first Test to ultimately decide the wicketkeeper.
“I tell you what guys. I’d be trying to score runs in those first two games. I reckon that’s really open (who gets the keeper spot).”
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Damien Fleming’s Australian team for the first Ashes Test
1. David Warner (vc)
2. Matt Renshaw
3. Usman Khawaja
4. Steve Smith (c)
5. Peter Handscomb
6. Glenn Maxwell
7. Matthew Wade/Peter Nevill or Alex Carey
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Pat Cummins
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Nathan Lyon
Chinners
Guest
Surely handcomb keeping is > wade or Neville overall. Get rid of the "allrounder". Bring in a recognised batsman. I'm out of the loop not having watched much for a while. Burns, head spring to mind. Also, a fit lynn would def be in my team. Fairly sure he averages more than most others in first class cricket.
Steve
Guest
Comes down to a bit of personal preference, I just think Renshaw is a little bit green at this point, particularly for an ashes series.
Roshan
Guest
I think head should be given a chance at no.6. His knowledge of the game makes him perfect test no. 6. Another reason is that he is young and worth a try. For wk I would luv Bancroft. He has a tight technique and his wicketkeeper will improve as brad haddin is working with current aussie team.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Wade and Maxwell not to be included. Neville or Carey to keep. A proper batsman at 6: Lehman, Burns, Patterson
Don Freo
Guest
Dan ced a I are OK. He knows Klinger isn't going to get a game just like I know Tim Zoehrer is no longer on selectors' minds. You misread the lay of the land a fair bit, Basil.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
I like that team, Steve. I'm not sure if I'd drop Renshaw, but I would like to see how Cartwright would go. I'd rotate Behrendorff in for one or two Tests, just for the experience.
Roshan
Guest
My team Warner Renshaw Khawaja Smith Handscomb Bancroft (wk) Head Starc Cummins Lyon Hazelwood 12 behendroff
Matting wicket
Guest
Is he related to Tim Head?
Nudge
Guest
Your 12th man has to be a fast bowler. If one goes down the day before the game, or game day, (McGrath) you have the 4th best bowler in Australia ready to go. What cricket Australia should be doing is fixturing the shield round the day after the test starts, so as soon as the tests starts he's straight on the plane flying to his shield game. Then just call in the best grade fielder in the state to be 12th man.
Nudge
Guest
That was flamen funny though from Don
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Sure, but operating down that corridor most of the time means he would also get more edges to the keeper than most, he's not looking for blokes to go after him and get caught in the outfield. Mennie and Worrall seem to be similar. Classic. Everyone's biased against SA. Keep whinging, you've had more players selected for national duty over the past ten years than QLD, despite not winning as many domestic comps. Start producing more international quality players, then you can whinge.
Basil
Guest
Mitch Marsh then?
Basil
Guest
Don Freo having a go at someone with a state bias? This is brilliant....
Basil
Guest
Uninformed, yes. Sayers for instance gets a lot of wickets bowled and LBW. I know it's hard for some to accept that a guy wearing a red state cap is good enough to play for the national team, but the young man is a true talent.
Simoc
Guest
Travis Paine is the current wicketkeeper. He might hold onto it.
Steve
Guest
this is the team I would like 1. David Warner 2. Usman Khawaja 3. Steve Smith (c) 4. Peter Handscomb 5. Shaun Marsh 6. Hilton Cartwright 7. Peter Nevill (wk) 8. Mitchell Starc 9. Pat Cummins 10. Nathan Lyon 11. Josh Hazlewood
Steve
Guest
he's still only 26, the door isnt shut on him, it is for shaun though.
Steve
Guest
Nice one baz
Mike Dugg
Guest
They are both fine limited overs players but tests are out of their grasp
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Blokes like Starc, Lyon, SOK, Bollinger & co. seem to aim for slips/LBW/outfield as much as the keeper. Whereas the SA bowlers as a whole seem to operate mainly around knicking him to the keeper/bowling him. Just my uninformed observations though.