While the ball-tampering scandal left a dark stain on the Australian cricket team, it also created a rare opportunity for domestic batsmen to earn a crack at Test cricket.
Whereas after Australia’s recent 4-0 Ashes win the top six looked set in stone – bar one opener’s berth – not a single member of their batting unit is now truly cemented in the line-up.
Openers Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns, and number four Peter Handscomb have only just returned to the side, as replacements for the banned David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith. Veterans Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh, meanwhile, possess valuable experience but both had poor series in South Africa and own troubling records away from home.
Usman Khawaja (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
And all-rounder Mitch Marsh is set to undergo ankle surgery which will reportedly rule him out of what is now being slated as Australia’s next Test series – a two-match contest in Pakistan in October.
All of this means there are likely to be generous opportunities for batsmen to grab Test places over the course of the 12-month absences of the banned trio.
Mitch Marsh’s Test understudy has appeared to be Marcus Stoinis, with the West Australian drafted into the Test squad in India 12 months ago when Marsh went down injured.
But a horses-for-courses selection saw Marsh’s spot for the remaining two Tests in India instead go to spinning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. The Victorian acquitted himself well across a run of four matches in India and Bangladesh, averaging 37 with the bat, before losing his spot to Marsh for the Ashes.
His impressive display in Asia last year makes Maxwell the obvious replacement for the burly seam-bowling all-rounder in Pakistan. Stoinis’ Test chance could come next summer, when Australia host series against India and Sri Lanka.
The Aussies like to play a pace all-rounder on their flat home pitches so if Marsh is not fit, that could create an opening for Stoinis, who is highly regarded by the national selectors despite poor Sheffield Shield performances of late.
Stoinis’ main competition comes from his WA teammate Hilton Cartwright, who played one Test in Bangladesh last year after debuting at home against Pakistan in January 2017. Cartwright’s appeal dulled last summer, as he endured a disappointing Shield campaign, but he can push his Test case over the coming months during a stint with Middlesex in Division One of the English county cricket competition.
That will be crucial experience for Cartwright, who has only played three first-class matches outside Australia – the Test in Bangladesh, plus single first-class matches in England and New Zealand.
Hilton Cartwright (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Also hoping to use this county season as a springboard is Travis Head. Like Cartwright, the South Australia captain lacks first-class experience outside Australia, having played just one match in England and one in India.
While I still have misgivings about Head’s looseness outside off stump, he has now put together three good Shield seasons on the trot. In the first of those, he won the Sheffield Shield player of the year, and he has averaged 46 and 43 over the past two seasons.
Head has long been earmarked as a future Test player so it will come as no surprise if he earns a baggy green this year. It would be a shock, however, if that debut were to come in Pakistan, given Head is far weaker against spin than pace.
The ability to play spin bowling could work in the favour of ODI stalwart Aaron Finch. The 31-year-old Victorian is a greatly-improved first-class cricketer, having made 2365 runs at a shade under 50 in the past four years.
Having captained Australia in limited overs cricket, Finch also offers impressive leadership skills, which could appeal to the selectors as they seek to rebuild the shattered Test team.
Any or all of Finch, Head, Cartwright, Stoinis and Maxwell could vault into the Test XI as a result of the ball-tampering debacle.
Tiges
Guest
Adam, Glenn Mitchell deserves a bit of respect mate
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Well if you think that a 25.8 average in those 4 matches since his hundred is not exactly horrible then Australia is in a lot of trouble.
jimbo
Guest
Yeah not a bad team- Im not convinced by Head yet, interesting to see how he goes in County. A seasonal average of over 50 and you'd definitely look at shortlisting him. I think everyone desperately wants Maxwell to stand up at test level but its hard to see him bringing consistent form. Im not sure this team can afford to carry him under performing without Smith and Warner As much as they are frustrating I think selectors have no choice but to bank on Khawaja and S Marsh as your most senior batsmen in the side... Also ferguson's treatment is criminal and he's a decent player of spin. Worth a proper crack at test level Renshaw Burns Khawaja Ferguson S Marsh Paine (C) Stoinis Cummins Starc Lyon Hazelwood
Kaushik
Roar Rookie
While numbers wise your comment holds true, in reality Maxwell was given the short end of the stick. He did strike an important 45 in the third innings in Dharmasala where everyone failed, and in Bangladesh, only Warner really played decently and he shouldn't have been discarded so quickly. While I agree that he didn't set the scene on fire with his consistency, he should've been given more than the 4 matches he was given to have a real test of his worth. His scores while not great weren't exactly horrible either given the conditions and team scores.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Best Test Playing XI available now, Burn, Renshaw, Khawaja, Maxwell, Head, Stoinis, Paine, Cummins, Starc, Lyon and Hazelwood.
BurgyGreen
Guest
That's fair enough Ronan - I'm just conscious of the fact that very few Australian batsmen with a career average below 40 have gone on to be a success at the highest level. The older batsmen that we've used as stop-gaps in recent years - Rogers and Voges - averaged around 50 and 45 at first class level respectively.
Larry1950
Guest
Maddinson had his shot, with the pressure the new mob will.be under it's not the time.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Burgy I'm not at all concerned by Ferguson's career average what is of more interest to me is the fact that over the past 5 years he has made 4,100 runs at an average of 48 in first-class cricket.
Adam
Guest
He scored 288 not out against New Zealand which was a first class match and there might have been more aus a match's.And has averaged 47 in England for 4 years 2 years with Yorkshire and 2 years for Surrey.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
I would like to see Maddinson and Patterson get an opportunity to bat at the top of the order.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
I did not raise the four seasons, Adam did. I merely pointed out first up that he did not have a highly successful 2017-18 Shield season and Adam raised his effort across the past four seasons to which I responded and he told me that the figure I supplied was not correct and he did not average 41.6 as Cricinfo states but 50. I think also I if you look at the runs scored each year and the average you can figure out pretty much how many innings he played each season.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
The total and average you state are correct, but what relevance is his average runs per season?In 2014/15 he only played 2 first class innings, scoring 53 runs with one not out. In 2015/16 he played only 6 innings. That contributes significantly to the less than impressive 333 runs per season you listed. If stating runs per season, you should be noting those details too, to provide a true context within the discussion. Apart from that, I agree with you that Finch in the first class format is anything but reassuring. There must be better options selectors can look at.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Adam, according to Cricinfo, his last four Sheffield Shield seasons have been: 2017-18 494 runs at 35.3 2016-17 581 runs at 52.3 2015-16 203 runs at 33.8 2014-15 53 runs at 53.0 That equates to 1331 runs at 41.6 for the four seasons. What figures are you going off?
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Can you please supply the season by season first-class stats for him in Australia for the past four Shield seasons?
Larry1950
Guest
If Cartwright is under consideration, Jack Wildermuth is an option, younger & better. Pat Howard stuffed rugby union first & has now proceeded to replicate that damage on cricket, how do these guys hold their jobs?
BurgyGreen
Guest
He was definitely harshly dropped, but it concerns me that after all these years he still averages below 40. However, I think he could do a job in the middle order for the time being.
Adam
Guest
No mate he has been averaging 49 for the last 4 years 50 in Australia and 47 in England.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Actually, across the past four Sheffield Shield seasons, Finch has scored a grand total of 1331 runs at an average of 41.6. That equates to an output, on average, of 333 runs each season.
G Knight
Guest
Obviously Doran shouldn't be in based on just one solid season. But he could be an outside chance for home summer if he posts some big scores when shield starts and if test incumbents struggle. Wasn't just his runs, but his application that was good to see. Him and Renshaw could be long-term future opening combination
AREH
Roar Guru
Ferguson would be ideal in the middle order at 4 or 5, topped the Shield run-scoring in the season just gone, and has produced consistent numbers for a long time. Also should never have been discared in the first place after merely one test; absolutely shafted.