After a summer of shock selections, Australia’s Test XI is set in stone for next month’s tour of South Africa, with the one exception being uncertainty about rookie opener Cameron Bancroft.
The bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon picks itself, Tim Paine has nailed down the keeper spot, the Marsh brothers are on fire, and Usman Khawaja is back in the runs.
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Unfortunately for Bancroft, who has laboured in his debut Test series, he is unlikely to get another chance to bat in this fifth Test, with England in dire straits at 4-93 still needing another 211 runs to make Australia bat again.
Not only has Bancroft averaged just 25, he’s also looked vulnerable to fuller deliveries pitched on and around off stump, an awful weakness for an opening batsman. South Africa’s skilful pace attack would pepper the top of his off stump, ensuring that this technical shortcoming was tested constantly.
It’s doubtful Bancroft will play in that series. Most likely the selectors will look to either to elevate Shaun Marsh to open, a position where he’s had generous success previously, or reinstate one of Joe Burns or Matt Renshaw. The former has been in fine form in the Sheffield Shield, with 514 runs at 57.
Renshaw, meanwhile, has had a wretched season but he could yet vault himself back into the Test team should he make a big knock in the next round of the Shield, after which the squad for South Africa should be announced. While he’s only an outside chance of returning for that series, the selectors could be swayed by Renshaw’s ability to blunt the new ball, which is a crucial attribute in South African conditions.
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Otherwise, the selectors should have an easy time picking the squad to take on the Proteas.
Khawaja’s fluid 171 in this SCG Test has eased any concerns about his form, while Shaun Marsh (156) and Mitch Marsh (101) both signed off with centuries yesterday.
Australia’s long-shaky middle order now looks solid thanks to that pair and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who has made 192 runs at 48 this series. Yet again yesterday Paine made batting look easy. While he will face far sterner challenges in South Africa, he looks to have the temperament and technique to counter their pace.
While champion paceman Dale Steyn is now injured again, harming his preparation for the series against Australia, South Africa still have three other world-class quicks in Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel. Australia’s one advantage in that series will be in the spin department.
Proteas tweaker Keshav Maharaj has made a great start to his Test career but Australia played him well last summer, as he averaged 40 across two Tests.
Nathan Lyon, meanwhile, is the form Test spinner in the world, having grabbed 61 wickets at 22 in the past 12 months.
Yesterday Lyon produced one of the balls of the summer to castle English veteran Alastair Cook. Speared in towards Cook’s pads, the delivery turned sharply and then clipped the top of off stump as the Englishman was caught on the crease.
Dawid Malan was also beaten in the flight by Lyon, playing back to a ball which demanded he come forward. When Malan was adjudged LBW England slid to 4-68 and their chances of avoiding defeat all but disappeared.
Joe Root (42*) and Jonny Bairstow (17*) offered some resistance and at least one of them will have to construct a monumental knock today to save England from a 4-0 series loss.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
Australia bowling is good but batting still leaves lot to be desired other than WARNER ,SMITH.I reckon SA wll win series.
DavSA
Guest
Yup Steyn is injured again . Gotta feel for the guy . He worked really hard to get back but is this the end of the road for the great quick. I kind of suspect that he wanted to play India and then Aus as a test career finale.Maybe still Australia as the injury is not that serious but ......Steyn has nothing to prove to anyone . The greatest bowler SA have ever produced. One of the best ever in world cricket . Also the time has come for SA to move on . There are a que of potential youngsters waiting in the wings. Ngidi may well get the nod for the 2nd test . A safer bet will be Olivier ( both now selected ). Coach Otis Gibson however is showing signs of the West Indian attitude of old . ie. Take no prisoners , go for the win period. I therefore expect Ngidi to be selected . Hope we have better pitches though for the next 2 games. SA just beat India inside of 3 days . What about the caterers , advertisers , students working casual and spectators who have pre-booked . This cannot be good for cricket.
Dane Heverin
Roar Pro
Exactly right! Performance should be the only criteria for selection but unfortunately dressing room politics becomes too much of a consideration. Would love to see Maxwell in the middle order (didn't agree with him being dropped in the first place), but it's hard to see him getting back. Shaun Marsh has been consistent at 5 and 6, and has struggled previously against the new ball, so can't see him being moved to open. Also, can't see Khawaja opening and Smith moving up to 3 because the new ball presents the best opportunity to get him out. Against the older ball he has been so prolific. The sub-continent will probably be the only place Smith will be at 3 again.
Steve
Guest
1. Warner 2. Khawaja 3. Cartwright 4. Smith (c) 5. S.Marsh 6. M.Marsh 7. Paine (wk) 8. Cummins 9. Starc 10. Hazlewood 11. Lyon thats with the provision that Cartwright comes good and im a huge Cartwright fan, so I'm drooling at that team.
Steve
Guest
This is why im so let down by Hilton Cartwright's shield season so far, would have loved to have had the same team only Ussie opening and Hilton at 3
Big Daddy
Guest
Pattinson is a non event at the moment. He really needs to look at the way Cummins has handled his injuries and rehab. When he does get himself right he will be fighting it out with quite a few others.
DaveJ
Guest
While I hope Khawaja does well, it would be silly not to worry a little bit about how he will go in South Africa, given his average outside Australia is only 27. Even more so, given the Saffers have picked three out of the four most favourable grounds for their seam attack - Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, in addition to Johannesburg, leaving out Pretoria, where Australia has done well in the past. These grounds tend to favour the seam and swing skills of Philander in particular as well as Steyn and Rabada rather than (remember all out 47 in 2011, Philander 5/15; and losing 8/64 in 2014 - sadly Shaun Marsh got a pair and was promptly dropped despite having scored 148 and 44 in the first Test). The decidIng Test in 2014 was a big breakthrough, with a win at Newlands, thanks especially to Warner’s ton in each innings. But in the current match vs India, Newlands has been back to its normal form, with India’s seamers knocking over SA for 286,with SA getting India out for 209. It might sound overly pessimistic, but despite the great success of the Australian seam attack in the Ashes series they rarely got the ball to deviate or didn’t actually stop many in the English top order from getting a start. Hopefully they can prove themselves adept at taking full advantage of more helpful wickets in SA. Warner, Smith and Marsh have all got big runs before in SA. And Khawaja did get 65 in the successful chase of 310 at Joburg in 2011, which of course was Pat Cummins very auspicious debut. But Joburg is the flattest of all these tracks and Khawaja never looks comfortable against the moving ball, so opening with him seems a bad idea. I would have thought Burns for Bancroft is the obvious move, keeping Maxwell in reserve if Khawaja or M Marsh can’t deliver.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Tremain is really good,hardly gets a mention from the selectors and the fans.His records in past three shield seasons have been exceptional.He reminds me a lot of young Peter Siddle.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Given Burns is in fine form he should come in for Bancroft. I have always liked Burns and thought the selectors discarded him too soon. Bancroft hasn’t looked convincing on batting friendly pitches. Other than one opening spot, the team looks very settled.
jameswm
Guest
It was until a couple of years ago. Since then, injury has been his main enemy. Since December 2015 his scores have been: 182 v WI in Hobart 130 & 23 v SL in SL 63 & 15 v SA in Perth 16 & 0 v India in India 66 & 9 v India in India 2 & 53 v India in India 4 & 1 v India in India 51 v Eng in Bris (crucial knock) 126no & 19 v England this tour 28 v England this tour 61 * 4 v England this tour 156 v England this tour (run out by Paine!) 3 poor tests out of 12, not bad really. Look at Warner in the same period, or Khawaja.
matth
Guest
Not the worst call if Dorff and NCN are not available.
Jake
Guest
JK & Kluesner were just medium pacers hardly should be in discussion with the greatest fast bowling groups of all time
Brian
Guest
That was the only non Smith 100 in the whole series produced at a crucial point in time. That's 1 innings in a large sample. Shaun Marsh is 34 good on him for taking his opportunities. How many runs would Cook make against this English attack where no-one reaches 140 kmph? Plenty but it does not help him make many against Australia's pace. I expect the same for Shaun when he faces Morkel & Rabada. If you follow Marsh's career its very often been feast or famine.
AREH
Roar Guru
As difficult as the pitch made things, the bowling attack looked unbalanced in Melbourne without Starc. I would consider including Tremain in the squad should either of Starc or Cummins somehow miss any matches. He appears ready for test cricket, and with Behrendorff injured still, seems the best type of replacement for either of those two with his pace and bounce.
paul
Guest
There's an assumption we will have the same team fit for South Africa and as we've seen in recent years, this might not be the case, especially with the quicks. Obviously I hope they are, because as a collective unit, they should be able to match SA, but if even one of them drops out, we're struggling for a Test quality replacement. Our batting is a touch stronger but again, outside the guys likely to make the tour (Burns & Maxwell)) there's no-one bashing the door down to be picked.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Because he is the best batsman not in the side? Make him sit in a different room and read a book or play on his iPad if his personality is that big an issue. I can't get over how childish a group of professionals are that guys like Katich, MacGill and Maxwell get their playing careers cut short because they don't fit into the boys club. Either someone's behaiviour is bad enough that specific incidents can be cited and they are suspended/expelled from the squad - such as SOK. Or they should be selected if they are the best player for the position.
Bakkies
Guest
They were pretty clear with Renshaw he was scratchy and struggled to get the ball off the square for Qld so the selectors said to him the Ashes is not the place to regain form. Problem is there no first class Cricket before the touring squad is selected.
Jason Cave
Guest
The one thing Australia will have to do against South Africa is if they have SA at 3 for ie 45 on the first day of the first Test, they will have to keep their foot on the Proteas throat, not let them get away like what India did, when they had SA at 3-33, only to see the Proteas turn the whole Test around thanks to a great partnership between du Plessis and de Vililers.
Gordon Smith
Guest
Bancroft should be replaced by Burns but to suggest Renshaw was hard done by defies logic.
jameswm
Guest
So Shaun Marsh's 100 in Adelaide was on a flat pitch against a demoralised team, was it?