After losing three members of their top six due to the ball-tampering scandal, Australia need to quickly decide upon their best Test batting line-up and then give these players time to grow.
Australia’s batting unit is so greatly weakened by the loss of Steve Smith and David Warner that it will surely falter many times over the duration of that pair’s 12-month bans.
When it does so repeatedly the temptation will be to lose patience and make changes in the forlorn hope new faces will help stem the bleeding. More than likely they wouldn’t – there are no readymade star batsmen biding their time in the Sheffield Shield.
There are plenty of talented players who may well be able to succeed in Tests, but they too would need time and patience to find their feet at the highest level.
Now is not the time for the Australian selectors to begin shuffling the deck constantly. The best thing they could do for a team trying to rebuild from a devastating incident is to pick who they believe to be the best 11 cricketers in the country and then guarantee those players a fair run.
Australia’s bowling line-up picks itself, but it is on the batting front that there will be a lure to tinker. In the fourth Test against the Proteas Australia had close to their best possible top seven, with the only change I would make being to bring in Glenn Maxwell at the expense of Peter Handscomb.
(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh had awful series in South Africa, averaging 20 and 18 with the bat respectively, but they’re now Australia’s two most capped batsmen, and experience is a precious commodity after losing more than 12,000 Test runs in the form of Smith and Warner.
Khawaja and Marsh both have serious queries over their ability to adapt to foreign conditions. The former has averaged just 18 in his past eight Tests away from home. Meanwhile, Marsh scored three tons in his first nine away Tests but since then has floundered, also averaging 18 in his past eight Tests outside Australia.
Fortunately for Australia eight of their next nine scheduled Tests are at home, with the solitary away Test being against Zimbabwe, the weakest team in the format. That one-off Test in Zimbabwe this July will be followed by two home Tests against Bangladesh in August, four home Tests against India in November and December and two home Tests against Sri Lanka in January.
That is a generous schedule, particularly for the Australian batting line-up, which will have time to gel in almost exclusively home conditions and against three weak pace attacks. They will need to make the most of this relatively easy run of bowling opponents because after that they will face consecutive major challenges.
First they will play three Tests next March against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, where Australia’s batting line-up fell in a heap on their last visit in 2014. That will be followed by the Ashes in England, home of the Dukes ball and seaming pitches which have troubled them so often.
By that stage Australia will have back the world’s best Test batsman in Smith and, perhaps, their best opening batsman in Warner.
Until one or both of that star pair return Australia need to resist making too many changes to their batting line-up. After Warner and the banned Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns are clearly the two best first-class openers in the country and both have experienced periods of success at Test level.
At 22 and 28 years old respectively, they have the potential to become a long-term opening partnership for Australia and must be given a long rope.
The 31-year-old Khawaja and 34-year-old Shaun Marsh have higher expectations on them given their age and experience. Behind them at five I would love to see Maxwell finally given an extended run in the Test line-up.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
The Victorian has been very poorly treated by the selectors so far in his Test career. Not only have all seven of his Tests been in Asia, the most difficult location for Australian batsmen, but those seven Tests incredibly have been spread out across four separate stints in the team.
Imagine being dropped four times in a Test career of just seven matches. That is ridiculous. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Maxwell has been tossed around the batting order like a ragdoll, batting in every single position from opening to eight.
Yes, you read correctly, in the space of 14 Test innings Maxwell has opened, and also batted at three, four, five, six, seven and eight. Aboslutely gobsmacking.
Maxwell should be given time to find his feet at five, with Mitch Marsh provided similar latitude at six. The younger Marsh brother had a very disappointing end to the series in South Africa, but it must not be forgotten he also played easily the best innings of the series by an Aussie, with his backs-to-the-wall 96 setting up a victory in the first Test.
In seven Tests since returning to the Test team Marsh has made 496 runs at 45, including two tons and that 96.
At just 26 years old Marsh has not yet reached what are typically the peak years for a batting all-rounder. Given the lack of outstanding candidates to replace him, it would be wise to see whether Marsh can learn from his lean trot across the last three Tests in South Africa.
Australia’s Test batting options are limited at present. That is why it is so important for the selectors to pick the best top six and then back them in.
Rob
Guest
Interesting that Khawaja has a Test average of 42 from 57 innings with 3 ducks. His FC average is 43. Shaun Marsh has a Test average of 37.6 from 57 innings with 9 ducks. His FC average 41. Khawaja is a better batsmen.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Nah - Get rid of Maxwell. What a joke.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
We will probably hold back on the uranium and coal exports to the Old Dart. Might get a bit cold over there old chap! No doubt your name will be high on the convict migration list! England's Number 1 export - convicts.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Do we have to give the Ashes back if that happens?
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
if khawaja is selected for subcontinent pitches, then make him open there, i guess he is short of confidence after he was benched out of form in the midst of great run he was enjoying before the indian series. He still hasnt recovered from the dent he suffered in confidence, so i personally believe he is just a knock or two away before getting back into his real.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
You realise it's 150 years since any convicts have been sent to Australia right?
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I do think it's funny though how suddenly everyone is calling for Maxwell in the test team, when for most of those 7 tests people on these sorts of forums were screaming "why are they picking Maxwell, there's no way he's a test batsman". Then, suddenly, this season that all turns and everyone is screaming "what's wrong with the selectors that they aren't picking Maxwell". That being said, I don't disagree that he's been stuffed around a fair bit. When he's been picked it's always been more with the thought of plugging gaps rather than really picking him because they think he's someone who could be a good test batsman. But certainly with our current situation, they could do a lot worse than give Maxi a good crack at it.
savant
Guest
Sensible argument Ronan. I wonder if Usman and Sean shouldn't swap places in the order. Usman is a natural stroke maker. Sean has become a better grinder and leaver, talents more suited to No. 3. Besides Bancroft will be back for Sri Lanka and if Sean hasn't made a fist of No.3 by then and considering his age, could make way for Bancroft who could open with Renshaw and Burns could be first drop. Thats 3 batters who value their wicket, and can take the shine off the ball at the top of the innings. Then Khawaja to come in as the senior stroke maker at 4 followed by Maxwell at 5. I would like to see Khawaja and Burns sent to Matthew Hayden for specialist coaching in how to turn around their playing of spinners. Burns looked like he had already done some work in his second innings at the Wanderers. But thats been the weakness for those two at test level.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
The reality is that Khawaja has been poor away from home for his entire career and abysmal since 2016. South Africa is the closest away conditions you can get to Australia and he failed terribly their. Yes he has been a god at home but this summer showed his form is starting to fail there, and you can't have a batsmen in your side who can only contribute at home. It creates selection headaches as you either have to carry him away from home or drop him for away tours then drop his replacement at home. The reality is you could chuck any batsmen from domestic cricket in the team and they'd have just as good a chance at averaging 20 as khawaga away form home. I wouldn't drop him right now but he is on very thin rope. if he fails at home he should be dropped and if he fails in his next away tour he should be dropped. Same goes for shaun marsh really. They are both over 30 and australia has nothing to lose in blooding younger players if there losing or getting nothing out of there older players anyway.
Johnno2
Guest
Clark has had a big part in the demise of Australian cricket , funny in all my interest in cricket , Clark is the only Australian I've seen booed by the crowd by Australians. Have a good look at his history in relations and even Botham would not get that type of disrespect. Get real ,Clark is an ego driven despot
Johnno2
Guest
Khawaja is naturally lazy cricketer, extremely predictable and fodder for a thinking fast bowler. When he was first touted as a rep player he showed a distinct lack of maturity and alas still hasn't improved . Time to move on buddy, take up lawn bowls
Rob
Guest
I have a similar opinion about Head. He really does cash in against average bowling. He struggles against a quality spinner from what I have seen and that's something Australia has to fix in the middle order now.
Jimbo
Guest
Anyone see Clarkey going on record to say he wants back in as captain of Aus test team? For my mind this would be an interesting lineup (purely on talent as opposed to shield form. Noting there is no one in the Comp earnestly demanding selection..) Renshaw Burns Khawaja Maxwell Clarke (c) (Ferguson) Paine (vc) Stoinis Cummins Starc Lyon Hazelwood (Weatherald) I’ve been a big detractor of Smith’s captaincy since inception. It would be great to have someone with some tactical insight come on board in at least a consultancy role. Be a welcome change to the usual status quo of running our premier quicks into the ground for 90 overs and then get frustrated and cheating....
Malo
Guest
If you want to keep losing, by all means. Keep them for local tests and abandon them for overseas ones
Steele
Guest
Absolutely agree, Ferguson got stiffed with his one test selection. White is Victorian, so there’s that.
W G GRACE
Guest
Colonial convicts need all the help you can get - remember how we sent you all those convicts who mostly behaved themselves and got on the straight and narrow and helped build your colony as you know it today by convict graft - No Britain no British Colony of Australia- a fact - Britain can help you again put Brits in charge of your Cricket
W G GRACE
Guest
have 22 players like the old days- better face the facts your colonial convicts are in for many series defeats
W G GRACE
Guest
When your water runs out and your power stations no longer work to provide sufficient power- we will pick and choose which colonial convicts can migrate to the UK though - which as per your weather report wont be long
Nudge
Guest
Don’t reckon the convicts would need too much help if it was played away from England. Don’t think they’ve won a test for 2 years way from home
Nudge
Guest
Definitely thanking you mate as I’m looking out over the ocean on my balcony in a pair of shorts and a tank top on a 32 degree night, 6 weeks out from winter. ?