Australia should fly in-form opener Matt Renshaw to South Africa for the third Test, which starts in ten days’ time, after Cameron Bancroft failed again in the second match yesterday.
Bancroft was fortunate to retain his starting spot for this tour after an underwhelming debut series in the Ashes and now, averaging 27 from seven Tests, has become a weakness Australia cannot continue to possess.
The West Australian has had his technique picked apart by first England and now the Proteas.
Meanwhile, with three centuries in his past three Sheffield Shield matches, Renshaw has well and truly banished the awful form which saw dumped for the Ashes.
The 21-year-old opener had a sensational start to his Test career but then made himself virtually unselectable for the Ashes by averaging just 14 with the bat in 16 first-class innings leading up to the first Test.
Since then, however, Renshaw has run roughshod over the Shield competition, piling up 583 runs at 73. Further underlining how greatly his form has shifted is the fact Renshaw’s strike rate in his last five Shield matches has been 58, compared to his glacial rate of 28 in his first four games this season.
During this latter period, Renshaw has showcased multiple gears to his batting, often starting slowly before taking attacks apart once set. This was an aspect of his batting which needed to improve during his ten-match stint in the Test team.
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
The other key area Renshaw needed to hone was his batting against right-arm quicks from around the wicket. He was first exposed by this bowling tactic in the Tests in India last year, when the home pacemen began using this angle as the series wore on.
Up to that point of his Test career, Renshaw’s success had been built on his discipline in leaving balls outside off stump. This forced bowlers to straighten their line, often earning Renshaw the leg side flicks which helped get him going early in his innings.
Once these right-armers changed their angle to around the wicket Renshaw’s judgment became cloudy and he was repeatedly found out, prodding at and edging wide deliveries which could easily have been left alone.
The quicks in the Shield have not abandoned this tactic, Renshaw has just managed to rid himself of the tendency to fish for those wider offerings.
While many cricket fans are adamant Renshaw should never have been dropped from the Test team, I would argue he has benefited immensely from his stint in the Shield. The left-hander had significant issues to iron out and was able to do that away from the blinding glare of an Ashes contest.
He now looks primed to return to international cricket for the third Test in Cape Town, which is traditionally a very pace-friendly venue. With his generous patience and ability to blunt the new ball, Renshaw always shaped as the perfect opening partner for the dynamic David Warner.
Renshaw’s circumspection and willingness to bat for time also meshes with Australia’s new cautious approach to Test batting, a strategy which has served them well over the past year.
As much has been evident since his Test debut, when he batted for 183 balls for the match while being dismissed just once on what was a juicy deck against an in-form Proteas attack.
While Renshaw has a solid defence at the core of his game, that is the area which Bancroft most needs to improve. At just 25 years of age, the West Australian has ample time to achieve this. But, like Renshaw before him, he would be best seeking this improvement while playing State cricket.
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Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja eased concerns about his form with a dogged innings of 75 yesterday.
The left-hander had to scrap hard for his runs, and was worked over by Proteas quicks Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi early in his knock.
But Khawaja remained patient and grinded his way to his most important innings since his sublime 145 against South Africa in Adelaide 16 months ago.
Particularly encouraging was the assured manner in which Khawaja tackled in-form spinner Keshav Maharaj. Khawaja alternately used his feet confidently against the finger spinner, got deep into his crease to cut Maharaj, and even flicked a reverse sweep to the boundary.
At the other end, all-rounder Mitch Marsh constructed yet another mature and patient innings, continuing his extraordinary transformation as a Test cricketer. Marsh once more set tight parameters within which he operated, limiting risk and focusing on batting for time.
Since returning to the Test team three months ago, Marsh has piled up 465 runs at 77. Yet, despite his fine work alongside Khawaja in the last session yesterday, he will need to kick on today if Australia are to bat their way back into this Test.
After offering disconcerting seam movement on day one, the Port Elizabeth pitch has settled down to become a good track for batting. Australia will need to swell their current lead of 41 to beyond 150 if they are to put any pressure on the hosts.
Geo
Guest
you can't say "stucked with him". My goodness, that is English becoming of a Rugby League player!
Geo
Guest
Someone needs to replace Bancroft, anyone.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
While I agree in principle with your no free wickets this series, the de Villiers run out and Khawaja's reverse sweep catch off his glove were pretty much give aways. Not too many others though ...
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
That comparison surprised me too. I don't remember too many lefties being taught to bat like Kepler, with a very closed stance and extremely closed grip. I saw Kepler's technique as the very opposite of a "classic" one.
walshy
Guest
he was very unlucky ball didnt rise, no i think hes going to be like a redpath just hang in there batsman solid as what australias been looking for for a long time, hes a hard worker, in the field and out
walshy
Guest
yeah but we are winning if we were losing bad yes have a look at it, but no we are winning
walshy
Guest
carey like him but i wouldnt sack paine hes a fine batsman wicky bring carey up in one dayers as they are doing could play as a middle order batsman tests
walshy
Guest
bancroft wont be dropped mate hes a fine player just settling in, he could get a hundred next week and all you doubters will eat your words hes like that tough especially eastern staters what you want and all nsw team jhye richardson should play next test a very fine bowler quick too 150 plus hazelwood not doing it, at the moment cummins is our best bowler id like to see him open with hazelwood starcs better when the ball gets a bit old lyon average this tour and he cant bat zampa can
walshy
Guest
yes mate he is a very fine cover fieldsman as smith is finding out bancroft, what was hazelwood doing he could have pushed the strike to a batsman but no the big slog come on hazelwood play for the team paine could have got a hundred the way he was batting, hes coming good the wk and starc had a shocker and lyon was average and disapointed in shaun marsh not a fighter maybe renshaw could sneak in there later, but no we have our opening pair australia
DingoGray
Roar Guru
While I'm a massive fan of Renshaw and wished the Selectors had of stucked with him, there is no way in the world they are flying in a batsmen outside of the squad to replace someone due to form after 4 digs. Bancroft has shown limitations during his time in the side, but he's fighting hard. I like the kid. I actually think that long term he will become the wicket keeper and get the opportunity down the order and Renshaw will come in at the top. That really only one more Tim Paine broken finger away from happening.
soapit
Guest
pretty convenient and clear place to draw a line for acceptability tho spruce. same reason they do it that way for refs in the nrl
Don Freo
Guest
The Tardis always left The Doctor fresh for a new adventure.
Keggas
Guest
Ronan it is disappointing to see you write an article like this , you are normally a far better and reasoned commentator on cricket. What sort of pressure would you be putting on incumbent , but not secure, test batsmen if you started flying batsmen into the team from half the world away, half way through a series. As has been noted Bancrofts form this series has been ok ( just ) he has been part of a couple of very good starts and deserves to at least be allowed to finish the series. Renshaw is good form and will get a chance again but not in the 3rd test
Steve
Guest
Renshaw should be flown in to replace Khawaja, then Smith should decide which of Bancroft, Warner and Renshaw should bat three. And then stick with that combination for a long time and let it jell. Renshaw and Bancroft offer far more promise than Khawaja moving forward, haven’t had anywhere NEAR the selection opportunities that Khawaja has, they each field beautifully - one is a keeper and bat/pad and the other is a first slip. And let’s face it, Khawaja has had enough chances to lock in a place as a professional number three for Australia.
Brasstax
Guest
Yes the two pitches so far have made the batsmen work for their runs, but they have nowhere been as spicy as the ones when the Indians toured especially in the 1st and 3rd tests where the ball swung prodigiously on all days and in all sessions. Those conditions would be the real test for our batsmen and if the saffers level the series here as looks.likely, we may well see the Indian tour pitches offered up for the next 2 games.
Simoc
Guest
Aint gonna happen. Australia are likely to be demolished in this test and will need to come good in the next. I'de reckon Bancroft would be scoring double tons in Shield cricket against the pop gun quicks that Renshaw has been scoring against. Good on Renshaw but this is as tough as it gets at test level and Bancroft is continuing to see off the new ball and contributing while improving. That's what it takes to succeed. AB de Villiers demonstrated that he is a superior batter than all the others on display and that is the major difference so far.
Jake
Guest
Business class helps but its not a magic bullet. Standard rule i've heard is that for every hr of time difference, it takes a day to get over. So if SA is 10hrs behind AEDST, it will take around 10 days before your body is truly adjusted.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Yes but Renshaw (and Burns before him) averaged over 36. Bancroft is in the 20's.
Matt H
Roar Guru
He has certainly been the standout. In those first two centuries, there was not a heck of a lot of support and he was scoring twice as fast as his teammates.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
"extreme tiredness and other physical effects felt by a person after a long flight across different time zones." spruce moose before commenting in the future please understand what exactly something is. If the above definition doesn't make it clear enough let me spell it out for you. jetlag occurs due to a change in time zone and the subsequent sleep deprivation that occurs, it has nothing to do with your seat. As it has nothing to do with your seat changing seat isn't going to change a single thing. Clear? What gave you the idea that business class stops jet lag i honestly don't know.