Cameron Bancroft and Jake Lehmann have emerged as dark horses for the Ashes, thanks to brilliant performances in the second round of the Sheffield Shield.
Australia’s number six and wicketkeeping positions remained wide open yesterday, with Hilton Cartwright and Glenn Maxwell yet to produce a ton this Shield season, and keepers Matt Wade, Peter Nevill and Alex Carey all underwhelming so far.
Lehmann has now bolted in contention for the six spot with a fantastic double of 103 and 93 against a strong Victorian attack, featuring Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland and Fawad Ahmed.
Bancroft, meanwhile, did not miss a chance or even concede a single bye behind the stumps, and was also extremely impressive with the blade, putting him in contention to steal the Test positions of either opener Matt Renshaw or Wade.
Batting against Australia’s full Test attack on a lively pitch, Bancroft carried his bat through Western Australia’s first innings to make 76* from 186 balls, before backing that up with 86 in the second innings. He has now churned out 521 runs at 87 from his past four first-class matches.
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I recently flagged Bancroft as a contender for Australia’s ODI side after he shone in the One Day competition, averaging 47 with the bat at a strike rate of 110 to go with tidy keeping displays.
But he was a shock selection to take the gloves in this second round of the Shield, having only kept once previously in his Shield career.
This unexpected move required WA to dump Josh Inglis, who is a fantastic gloveman and had a good Shield campaign with the bat last summer, averaging 38 from his five matches. This makes me wonder whether Cricket Australia had a say in the Bancroft move, given they are believed to have influenced several other domestic selections this year.
With Wade, Nevill and Carey all struggling in Round 1, if CA decided to widen the field by asking WA to hand Bancroft the gloves, he could have done no more to exploit the opportunity.
His keeping was unobtrusive, as it was during the recent domestic one dayers. That is all it needs to be to earn Test selection, as Australia clearly are more swayed by ability with the blade, and Bancroft is a quality young batsman.
He was set to make his Test debut as an opener in Bangladesh two years ago before that tour was cancelled due to security concerns. While Bancroft struggled last Shield season, averaging 28, he made 206* in English county cricket two months ago, batted beautifully in the One Day cup and, most importantly, dominated NSW’s amazing attack.
As the WA team collapsed around him in the first dig, Bancroft showcased his tight technique and admirable patience. In the second innings, the match situation required him to display greater aggression and he did that with ease.
Performing so well against Australia’s Test attack in front of the national captain and vice captain, Steve Smith and David Warner, will have given Bancroft an outside chance of securing an unlikely Ashes debut.
AAP Image/Will Russell
It would be a controversial decision to hand him the gloves considering Bancroft’s huge lack of experience behind the stumps in first-class cricket. But he did enter the domestic system as a wicketkeeper, has done well with the gloves for WA in one day cricket, and made his international debut as a keeper in a Twenty20 against India last year.
Less controversial would be the choice to elevate Lehmann, who has an excellent first-class record of 2068 runs at 44, including six tons from 29 matches. At 3-18, South Australia looked like being blown away by the Victorian bowlers on day one of this Shield match before Lehmann took command.
In the space of 20 minutes, the assertive left-hander changed the momentum of the match, cracking five boundaries to race to 25 from 14 balls. Then he settled into a more sustainable rhythm and guided South Australia to a solid first innings score of 322. The Redbacks were again in trouble at 3-59 when Lehmann came out in the second dig and cruised to 93 from 143 balls.
In both innings he was in total control against pace, pulling and cutting with authority, while also confidently combating the leg spin threat posed by Ahmed.
In terms of batting style, Lehmann has more flair and tendency to be unorthodox than Cartwright, but is less cavalier and unpredictable than Maxwell. Lehmann’s aggression at six would be balanced nicely by the dourness of Bancroft at seven.
That is a combination which seemed extremely unlikely to appear in the Ashes just a few days ago, but one which is now a genuine possibility.
Scorching
Guest
Just wondering.... why has Bancroft not been suggested as a opening batsman while keeping thus freeing up space for a couple of the contentious names like Maxwell Lehmann and Cartwright down the order. I know it is unconventional but he played a great game in both facets last round from the top of the order. Renshaw is under some pressure given recent form and Bancroft is the same sort of grafter as far as I can tell. I also understand the concern over coming in opening the batting after a day in the field keeping but once again he did well this week and Rohan has commented on his superb fitness....
bearfax
Guest
Interesting concept with Bancroft as keeper. Could be a master stroke if it comes off. He's a fine young opener who should have got a shot in tests a while back but then went cold and allowed young Renshaw to slip under his guard. But it would certainly strengthen our batting line up having Bancroft as keeper if he can handle the glove work. I had Lehmann as my second in line for the No 6 test spot if Maxwell fails, but Cartwright needs to start scoring big if he doesnt want Lehmann to steal the spot. Lehmann I believe will be a test player, and perhaps during the Ashes. His performances since he started in first class cricket make it obvious he's destined for the role. But Cartwright still has his bowling which at this stage may be enough to keep him ahead of the pack, which includes young Patterson who is beginning to show form in Shield cricket again
Don Freo
Guest
Fallins. Australian U19 team last year.
Don Freo
Guest
Bancroft has kept throughout the JLT to D'Arcy Short...a couple of great stumpings... and to Ashton Turner in last year's BigBash, all without error. Now, that's variety. A fair chance he has kept to Ashton Agar too.
KopaShamsu
Guest
hello,may i ask a question out of this article as this is the latest article?who was the leg spin bolwer today that bowled joe root?what is his name?any footage of his bowling anyone has? :-)
Don Freo
Guest
Bancroft is a keeper, Dan.
Don Freo
Guest
The season before was good too but Cartwright has a number of WA players better than him.
Don Freo
Guest
When Whiteman's fit, Whiteman is the best fit. If, until then, Bancroft is next best (which he is), play Bancroft. You don't leave him out because an injured player is unavailable. That's a reason to include him.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
The English made another fine not quite three hundred off ninety overs by almost-spinners, medium pacers and Sandhu, who they've generously called fast-medium Coleman picked up Cook and Woakes and Fallins got 4.
Don Freo
Guest
More than that.He was on the field for EVERY session. Dismissed just after tea in the last session.
Don Freo
Guest
Faulkner is not getting a game.
Nev
Guest
It's some had luck story. Particularly combined with the knee injury a few years ago.
Don Freo
Guest
You'd have Wade at #7 though.
Don Freo
Guest
Both Inglis and Whitemnan are eligible to play for the Poms.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Where's Bosisto and Phillippe? I understand Larkin,averaging 318 in the Futures League but Coleman? Best is 4/46 in the JLT. Pucovski? 28 FC ave. Carder? Averages 27.Ryan Gibson averages 19! Is CA hoping another Phillippe goes gangbusters? Maybe Jason Sangha will? Once again they're giving England nothing
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It would certainly be great for the Shield competition if the selectors wait until after the round is over. It's been fantastic how much focus has been on the Shield this past fortnight and the selection hype would be immense over the four days of round 3.
PeteB
Guest
Dump Wade and pick anyone to take his place. We know Wade is not good enough, so what is there to lose by trying someone else.
Nev
Guest
I think it is more a case of limited depth and key players out of form. Bailey, Doolan, Paine, Bird, Wade, Faulkner have all played test cricket. Fekete was even selected to tour Bangladesh. Silk was highly rated. Webster has talent. As does Doran. Rainbird is serviceable. But yeah, the squad looks weak.
Brissie Boy
Guest
Yeah, agree with pretty much everything Geoff said. I'm absolutely fed up with the way just about every state selection seems to be made on potential rather than results. In any reasonable world, the leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer, Cowan, would be given a chance to play for his state as the most capable man for the job and would be in the reckoning for the First Test ahead of a guy like Maddinson, who did absolutely nothing with the FOUR chances he was given in the baggy green and has shown little since to indicate that he still deserves to play for his state in the Shield, let alone his country. People tend to forget that the only reason Chris Rogers was still playing in for Victoria in 2013 was that Ashton Agar had moved to Western Australia prior to the start of the Shield season. If he hadn't been given the last Victorian state contract then, things would most likely have turned out very differently for the Australian team. Sure, there's no objectively right way to pick a team and potential should definitely be taken into account but there's no way it should be the only method of picking a state team.
Steve
Guest
hell yeah Ronan, you dispense those facts brah!..