It’s finally upon us.
After four long years our biggest foe is again in our backyard as the Australians face in England in what promises to be an incredible Ashes series.
With both teams showing inconsistent form heading into this series, this is set to be one of the most evenly matched Ashes contests in recent memory as Steve Smith and his men look to rectify a recent poor record against England.
After an average performance in Bangladesh and a poor one day series in India, many question marks surround this team. What line-up they should go with when selecting a team for the first Test in Brisbane starting on November 27th?
The batsmen
Matthew Renshaw, Tests Played: 10, Average: 36.64, Average versus England: N/A
One of the young players tried by the selectors after two poor performances against South Africa last summer, Matthew Renshaw has thrived through his first 12 months in the Test side.
With one century and three half centuries thus far, Renshaw is the ideal opening batsman for this Australian side as he puts a very high price on his wicket and has shown his ability to adapt well to any conditions.
A return to Australian soil will be good for the 21-year-old, as the Australian public will get to see whether he can stand up in the biggest series of all and make vital top order runs. Batting alongside vice captain David Warner is a huge positive for young Renshaw as all the pressure is taken off him, allowing him to simply go out there and play cricket.
Expect a big series from Renshaw has he looks to solidify himself as an Australian opener for the long term future.
2. David Warner (VC), Tests Played: 66, Average: 47.94, Average versus England: 44.95
The Australian vice captain comes into this Ashes series in great form, having hit hundreds in his last two matches over in Bangladesh. However despite this good form, this is a completely different beast as the eyes of the entire country will be on the pocket rocket to deliver.
Although showing glimpses prior, England’s last trip to Australia was where Warner announced himself to the cricketing world as the left hander scored scored two hundreds to help his side to a famous 5-0 whitewash. Now with the likes of Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson retired, Warner has a much greater responsibility as he looks to guide this young side through its first home ashes series.
Expect the usual fireworks from David Warner this summer as he looks to get early runs on the board for his country and prove himself to be the most damaging opening batsman in world cricket.
(AFP PHOTO / Peter Heeger)
3. Usman Khawaja, Tests Played: 24, Average: 45.47, Average versus England: 21.50
Possibly the biggest question mark in Australian cricket at the moment, I have just given Khawaja the nod to bat three in the first Test. Despite his recent failures in Bangladesh and not being selected in India, Khawaja has shown that on Australian soil he is a very classy batsman.
Exploding onto the scene after a few failed attempts in 2015, Khawaja has bullied opposition bowlers in Australia in recent times.
Over the past two Australian summers Khawaja has posted four centuries, with many thinking that he had finally broken into the Test side for good. Now after a long layoff, the pressure is back on the 30-year-oldto be a key contributor and provide his country with valuable top order runs. With many young batsman coming up the ranks, this Ashes campaign is critical for Khawaja as he again looks to break into the Australian side.
Khawaja is my biggest wildcard for this series as he could either flop under the pressure of previous bad form, or show his class on Australian soil and be a real difference maker.
4. Steve Smith (C), Tests Played: 56, Average: 59.66, Average versus England: 43.19
The heart and soul of this batting line-up, this is a defining summer for the Australian captain as he leads his troops into battle against the old foe for the first time. Baby-faced and inexperienced the last time the Poms came to town, Smith used that series to really cement himself as a Test cricketer posting two centuries in Perth and Sydney.
Four years later and Smith is now the face of Australian cricket, and perhaps the most important part of Australia’s bid to return the urn.
Smith is the best batsman in world cricket. The numbers don’t lie when you analyse the game of Steve Smith. With an average of a tick under 60 and the ability to score runs in all conditions, the unorthodox Smith will be a real handful for the English this summer.
After an impressive series against India earlier this year expect a fired up Smith to come out this summer as he looks to avenge the sides loss in England two years ago.
Coming in at number four, I feel this is the perfect slot for the captain to work his magic as he can either steady the ship after early wickets or help accelerate the side after a fast start by the likes of Warner and Khawaja.
I’m calling this to be the summer where Smith really stamps himself as one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers and becomes the captain of an Ashes winning side.
(AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD)
5. Peter Handscomb, Tests Played: 10, Average: 53.07, Average versus England: N/A
The wonder child of Australian Cricket since his debut in November 2016, everything has gone along beautifully for the young Victorian in his first 12 months at the top level.
Known for his unorthodox approach and wide array of shots, Handscomb proved extremely difficult to dismiss in his first summer of Test Cricket piling on two centuries against a solid Pakistan side. Since then, Handscomb has put forward fair performances on the sub-continent as he begins to master his craft and adapt to all conditions Test cricket throws at you.
Now on the cusp of his first Ashes series, Handscomb has the ability to truly cement his position in the side and emerge into one of the best batsman not just in Australia but around the world. Having never faced the Poms before, the nerves will undoubtedly be there for the 26-year-old as he looks to put the pressure behind him and simply play cricket.
Although he has the ability to take the gloves and open another batting position, I feel that not wicket keeping this summer is very smart as Handscomb must give his undivided attention to batting.
Coming at number 5, the young Victorian will often find himself in the heat of battle this summer, and after watching him these last 12 months I’m very confident he will take it in his stride and put forward some excellent performances for his country.
The all rounder
6. Glenn Maxwell, Tests Played: 7, Average: 26.07, Average versus England: N/A
With a solid top five sorted here’s where things get interesting.
One of the most frustrating positions in the Australian side since the team’s last Ashes triumph, the selectors simply have not been able to find an effective long-term prospect to bat number six.
Going through the likes of Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh, Hilton Cartwright and recently Glenn Maxwell nobody has really stood out in the role. Personally, I feel due to his late decent run of form in the Test side in India and Bangladesh the selectors will give Glenn Maxwell the nod for at least the first two Tests as they evaluate their options moving forward.
This situation makes the start of the series huge for ‘The Big Show’ as he looks to prove that he’s not just a big hitter and can make a career for himself at Test level. His ability to play red ball cricket was on display in India as after a two year absence from the side, the right hander came in and played a superb innings to notch up his maiden ton.
He was then able to back his strong start up with good performances in Bangladesh to secure his spot in the first Ashes Test.
Along with his batting, Maxwell is a more than capable bowler who if required will be able to break partnership and really change things up for Steve Smith.
So, if he manages to win this position the onus is on Maxwell to take it with both hands and become the reliable number six batsman this country has been crying out for ever since a young Steve Smith in the 2013 Ashes series.
The wicket keeper
7. Peter Nevill (WK), Tests Played: 17, Dismissals: 63, Average: 22.28, Average versus England: 23.82
Another major talking point heading into this series, I feel it is definitely time to call stumps on Matthew Wade and get Peter Nevill back into the line up.
Dropped by the selectors due to Wade’s apparently superior batting ability it is safe to say that these last 12 months have proven the New South Welshman was extremely hard done by. Only pasting 50 once since his return to the team in November 2016, Wade has been nothing short of a disappointment for the Test side as along with his batting woes his wicketkeeping has been average to say the least.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Nevill deserves one more chance at the top level, with this series the perfect opportunity for him to prove his critics wrong and be a solid presence in the middle of the Australian batting order. Although he isn’t flash like Wade or Brad Haddin, he is a tough batsman that values his wicket and can build partnerships with the tail, something the Australians desperately need.
Nevill’s batting is extremely underrated and is something I feel if selected will be critical for the team, with his 143* against Queensland in the Shield in February proving he can also go big.
Nevill’s work behind the stumps is also very good, as he rarely misses a chance and provides his bowlers with reliability unlike Matthew Wade.
The Bowlers
8. Mitchell Starc, Tests Played: 36, Wickets: 148, Wickets versus England: 14, Average: 20.13
The spearhead of the Australian attack, Mitchell Starc is Steve Smith’s deadliest weapon as his raw pace and swing will undoubtedly cause headaches for the English batsman.
After struggling to find his feet in the Test arena in the early years of his career, Starc has recently emerged as one of the world’s best fast bowlers having claimed man of the tournament honours in the 2015 world cup and cementing his place in the Australian side.
Much like namesake Mitchell Johnson, Starc is an extremely scary customer for any opposition batsman and will look to have the same devastating impact Johnson did in the last Ashes series in Australia.
Having suffered minor injuries through the middle of the year, question marks were raised over his fitness heading into this series. However these were quickly put to bed as the star quick returned for state side New South Wales in dominant fashion, ripping through South Australia with career best figures of 8/73 in the first round of the Sheffield Shield.
This performance without a doubt sent a message to the English batsman, as he looks to again take his game to another level this summer.
Provided he stays healthy the number 8 slot in the Australian Test side will undoubtedly be occupied by the New South Welshman, as he plays a key role in helping Australia regain the urn. Along with his devastating bowling, Starc is also more than capable with bat in hand with an average of 24.71.
This will be crucial for the Aussies, as his big hitting will provide the team with some much needed lower order runs.
9. Patrick Cummins, Tests Played: 5, Wickets: 21, Wickets versus England: N/A, Average: 25.38
It’s been a very rough past six years for young News South Wales quick Patrick Cummins as after exploding onto the scene with a six-wicket and man-of-the-match performance in South Africa in 2011, injuries saw him unable to get back onto the Test scene until April 2017 against India.
For many years Australian cricket fans have been crying out for this young mans return, as he constantly toiled in Shield cricket, picking up injuries at the worst possible times. After breaking his way into the Australian team in the shorter formats and performing solidly, the young quick finally has his opportunity and health permitting will not let it go to waste.
Returning to the side in the third Test against India, Cummins has performed very well with the red ball picking up eight wickets in two matches in India and six wickets in two matches in Bangladesh.
These performances proved the fight and determination within this young man as despite trying conditions he constantly ran in and bowled his heart out for his country. As he returns to his favoured conditions, expect Cummins to shine this summer as the third peg in Australia’s star studded bowling attack.
Much like Starc his pace and movement will without a doubt shake the English batsman, its all about consistency for this young man as he adapts himself to the rigours of Test cricket.
Cummins is someone I am very excited to see this summer, as the Australian public will finally get to see him live out the potential he showed on debut some six years ago.
10. Josh Hazlewood, Tests Played: 31, Wickets: 118, Wickets versus England: 16, Average: 25.75
Half of Australia’s devastating opening partnership, Josh Hazlewood has become one of the best fast bowlers in world cricket following his debut in December 2014. After toiling hard at Shield level as the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle took up the fast bowling spots in the Australian team, Hazlewood was finally given a chance due to injury and has not wasted it.
Sparking eerie similarities to the great Glenn McGrath, Hazlewood uses his height and pace to trouble batsman as he consistently places the ball on a very tough length for opposition batsman. This has seen the 25-year-old claim over 100 Test victims in only 31 matches, as he is so reliable and always a wicket-taking chance.
Uncertainty still surround the quicks availability for the first Test as a side strain sent him home after the first Test in Bangladesh. This kept him out of New South Wales first game in the Shield and despite his progress looking promising for a return to action next week, still has many cricket fans worried.
With the firepower of both Starc and Hazlewood occupying the other two fast bowling positions, Hazlewood has a key role to play this summer as he bowls that stump to stump line which will always keep the batsmen guessing. After a poor first ashes series in England, the 25-year-old will be seeking revenge as he has a big role to play in Steve Smith’s men returning the urn to Australian soil.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
11. Nathan Lyon, Tests Played: 69, Wickets: 269, Wickets versus England: 44, Average: 31.83
A mainstay in the Australian side for the past six years, Nathan Lyon has forged himself an incredible career at Test level becoming Australia’s greatest off spin bowler of all time.
This has earned himself the nickname of the GOAT, which is extremely fitting as he has been able to take wickets for his country in almost all conditions.
Now at the age of 29, Lyon is among the older players in this Australian team, making his role in this upcoming Ashes series very crucial. In what is a relatively young bowling attack, Lyon’s experience will come into play throughout the series as he looks to create pressure for his fast bowlers.
Along with his ability to force dot balls and keep the batsman defending, Lyon can also become the attacker and take lots of wickets in very quick succession.
The last Ashes series in Australia was an excellent example of what Lyon brings to the side, as he was instrumental in allowing Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris to come on in short bursts by tying up an end himself and bowling long spells.
Expect Steve Smith to implement a similar tactic this summer as he looks to preserve the energy of his three big quicks. He is also very good at bowling to Australian conditions as he generates a lot of bounce and spin off the surface, which will without a doubt cause problems for the English batsmen.
Unlucky to miss: Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Alex Carey, Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh.
Don Freo
Guest
You seem to lack all understanding that what he did 5 years ago has nothing to do with now. He would be our keeper, not a top order batsman. Jason Gillespie is correct when he says the responsibility for scoring runs lies with the batsmen. Carey is fine. He showed it again yesterday as he helped rebuild.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Cowan's FC average is 42. He did have a great shield season last summer and averaged 73. The year before he averaged 36 and we will have to wait until test players are out to find out whether last year's vein of form continues.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
He has only played 19 first class matches so the numbers are a fair representation. He actually debuted as a number three, not an opener. Yet to score a first class century, please excuse me if I don't wet my pants in excitement of how good his batting is. He is, at present, another players elevated by "unproven promise". The selectors finally woke up and dropped Mitch Marsh. We don't need them repeating that same error with another young player. I know you don't like numbers as they seem to confuse you. They do however, make a clear point here. If selectors want runs from our keeper (and they obviously do or you wouldn't be talking up his batting), Carey hasn't done enough yet to even be spoken about. He averaged 33 last shield season. That's simply not good enough when Nevill averaged 56... I actually think Carey is a future test prospect but not ready yet, if selectors want runs from him as well. My take on yesterday's innings- Carey batted well yesterday to support the fightback led by Head and Lehmann, although Nevill's innings yesterday was very comparable. I am surprised you haven't raved about Nevill's knock, given how scores in the 30's get your eyes lighting up. Nevill should not have been dropped last summer, to be replaced by Wade, has scored plenty since and deserves to be in the first test team, in my opinion. Carey can bide his time and when he makes his test debut, the much improved batting you speak of, will be evident in a significantly better FC average than 24 and maybe even a big score or two. What Siddons should have said to him was, "You got a start and contributed to us being back in the game, but you need to go and make a big score." The same should have been said to Nevill.
Don Freo
Guest
Where are you counting his average from? Recent years since he took over as keeper from Ludemann or are you including his lower scores when they tried him as an opener as a 21 yo when he made his return to cricket from AFL? The numbers you try to use as a weapon but which only succeed in advertising analytical limitation, make no point at all. His batting today was very impressive, part of a terrific fightback. Do you have a take on that? I can just imagine on his dismissal that Jamie Siddons said to him, "You know your average is only 24."
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
"Carey to debut, simply a much better keeper, and his batting is fine, he won’t struggle to average 20 like Nevill or Wade do in tests" Yet he apparently struggles to average 24 in First Class. How about we wait until his performances with the bat are real and not imaginary? He may very well become a better batsman than Nevill but "would have, could have, hasn't yet".
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
What? The performances in one game played almost four years ago?? Sounds relevant...
dan ced
Guest
Fair call on JLT form. Still got a shield game or two to judge on recent long form exploits.
Don Freo
Guest
Back off, Bear! He's mine now.
bearfax
Guest
'The Anti-Don Freo' ??? How come Don Freo gets all the attention. I'm jealous now.
The Anti-Don Freo
Guest
The number of times you have been correct is under 18 for the past 2 years as well Don Freo (considerably under 18)...but that doesn't stop you from believing the shamefully small minded-biased froth that you subject the readership of this website to. Fair's fair.
The Anti-Don Freo
Guest
Red Kev, that is the correct answer. We would also have accepted #AnyoneButMitchellMarsh and #AnyoneDonFreoDoesNotFantasizeAbout
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Cartwright / Stoinis in place of Maxwell and Carey in place of Nevill, is my choice.
13th Man
Guest
I'd go with Cartwright personally, think he is the better batsman and his FC average shows it. Bowling shouldn't even be taken into account but the fact Cartwright is averaging 50 with the bat in first class cricket makes him the obvious choice for #6. Who else in state cricket has an average of 50+ currently? Smith? Cowan? That's about it. Wicketkeeper either Nevill or Carey I don't mind as long as it's not Wade.
Don Freo
Guest
Wade's Test average is under 18 for the past 2 years.
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
"I feel ... the selectors will give Glenn Maxwell the nod for at least the first two Tests" I am always baffled by the approach these days about giving players a few Tests or a few ODI's to see how they go. I hate to be the "back in my day" guy, but, back in my day, if someone was picked to play for Australia, they were picked to play for Australia. You are in the side son, go out there and do it. Even the comment above (the type of which are becoming commonplace) about giving Neville this series, and bringing in Carey for next summer sort of sums it up. Just pick someone, give them a reasonable chance, and if the performance is not there, then make the change. Australian cricket is built on this philosophy.
HB
Guest
At the moment, my side is as follows: 1. Warner 2. Renshaw 3. Khawaja 4. Smith 5. Handscomb 6. Cartwright 7. Nevill 8. Starc 9. Hazlewood 10. Lyon 11. Sayers A bit tough on Maxwell, Wade, and Cummins, but right now I think this is the best side. Maxwell has done pretty well at number six since coming back into the side, but he's a bit out of form at the moment. Given Cartwright's 50+ first-class average, good form, and the fact that he's a seam-bowling all-rounder (more handy in Australian conditions), he gets the nod. I don't think there's much in it with respect to the wicket-keepers. Wade's been keeping reasonably well, but Nevill gets the nod based on his batting form from last year's Shield season. Cummins is a very good bowler, but I'm letting consistently excellent Shield results trump potential, so Sayers gets the nod. When Cummins starts tearing up batting lineups in the Shield like Sayers has been for the last few years, he can get a game. Of course, all of this might change depending on the next two Shield games.
Brian
Guest
But wasn't Wade playing ODI & Tests in India Wade's test average is 28.58 Nevill's is 22.28
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Burgy Green This is the issue that Maxwell has. It was the downfall of the career of Cameron White and will likely hinder the development of Stoinis and Henriques etc. Too much white ball cricket hinders red ball development and in the case of a spinning all-rounder, it certainly kills off the development of that craft. Would love to see Maxwell get in a full 5 test home summer.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
For Maxwell to be classed as 'The Allrounder', he needs to actually bowl. Something Smith doesnt do. He has bowled just 20 overs in his last 5 innings, hardly allrounder worthy. He seems to be getting selected as a batsman who bowls some part timers which is worrysome if that is the case. Surely there are better straight out batsmen.
George
Guest
Nevill actually scored 3 Shield tons. Be nice of Wade to get one.