Australia’s preparation for the 2019 World Cup continues next month, when a strong Australia A team travels to India to take on talent-stacked teams from South Africa and the host nation in a quadrangular series.
The reigning world champions are fresh from a rough tour of England, which saw them lose 5-0, highlighting the need to build depth ahead of next year’s tournament.
Starting on August 17, the quadrangular series will offer opportunities for the likes of wicketkeeper Alex Carey, paceman Chris Tremain, and batsmen Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb to press their claims.
Australia A have had regular one-day and first-class series against India A and South Africa A in recent years, and the Australian selectors appear to have put great stock in performances during these matches.
All three nations clearly take these matches seriously, having consistently fielded extremely strong line-ups. This year is no different, with South Africa A brimming with talent and experience, while India’s remarkable depth is evident in the quality of both their A and B sides, which will play in the quad series.
Australia’s weakness against spin will be tested once more as the venue for the quad series, Vijayawada, is known for supporting slow bowlers. The Aussies were embarrassed by English tweakers Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali during the 5-0 drubbing. If Australia want to pull off a surprise victory at the World Cup, they will likely need to beat either England or India, the latter who have an even better spin attack than the Poms.
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It follows then, that the selectors will be closely scrutinising the manner in which their batsmen cope with spin. They will be particularly interested in Khawaja and Handscomb, two batsmen with contrasting reputations against slow bowling.
Handscomb is regarded as impressive against spin thanks to his nimble and assured footwork. Khawaja, however, is widely perceived as being leaden-footed and unsure opposed to tweakers, although this reputation is largely due to his struggles in Tests in Asia.
Khawaja’s play against spin in Australian domestic one-day cricket has been drastically better. In that competition, he has used his feet well and also employed the slog sweep to good effect. It will be fascinating to see whether he can play with similar confidence on what are expected to be slower and more spin-friendly tracks on the subcontinent.
Khawaja’s most obvious route into the ODI team would be as an opener alongside Aaron Finch. This position remains wide open given the uncertainty surrounding the future of the banned David Warner and the ordinary performances in England of new opener D’Arcy Short.
AAP Image/Paul Miller
Handscomb, meanwhile, shapes as a strong option in the middle order. Time and again since the last World Cup, Australia’s top order has set great platforms only for its middle men to subside against spin.
The ability to bat against spin is also a key selling point for Carey, who must be on the verge of ousting ODI captain and keeper Tim Paine. While Paine has repeatedly laboured against slow bowlers since returning to ODIs in January, Carey has looked good in his brief T20 and ODI careers.
Meanwhile, gifted Victorian quick Chris Tremain will have the chance to prove the selectors wrong for having overlooked him for the ODI series in England, in favour of the likes of Michael Neser and Kane Richardson.
The tall right armer’s ability to swing the new ball should challenge the Indian and South African batsmen.
Australia’s best line-up
1. Usman Khawaja
2. D’Arcy Short
3. Travis Head (c)
4. Peter Handscomb
5. Marnus Labuschagne
6. Alex Carey (vc) (wk)
7. Jack Wildermuth
8. Ashton Agar
9. Chris Tremain
10. Mitch Swepson
11. Billy Stanlake
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Actually that should be Starc instead of Cummins at 9 in the first team. I'd leave Cummins out and play two spinners instead.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Colin obviously a hell of a lot could change between now and the World Cup. But if everyone was fit right now and Australia were about to start their World Cup campaign in England I'd go with this team: 1. Finch 2. Head 3. Warner 4. Smith 5. Maxwell 6. Stoinis/M.Marsh 7. Carey 8. Agar 9. Cummins 10. Lyon/Zampa 11. Hazlewood The Stoinis/Marsh and Lyon/Zampa decisions would be based on form leading up to it, and they're such lineball calls to me. The most unusual pick I've made there is opening with Head and pushing Warner to three. That's because I think Head's best position by a mile is opening whereas Warner is much more flexible. Head's record as an opener in ODIs is fantastic - nearly 500 runs at an average of 48, with a great strike rate of 99 My second most favoured top six would be this: 1. Warner 2. Finch 3. Smith 4. Ferguson 5. Maxwell 6. Stoinis/MMarsh But that's very unlikely, I can't see the selectors picking Ferguson now after ignoring him for so long.
Colin Bland
Roar Rookie
Ronan, what would your best XI and full squad be for the first game of the WC next year? Assuming all fit and Smith and Warner back in frame.
I no
Guest
Done a great job for nine months oh wait he only captained for what 10,15 matches no experienced enough to captain us to world cup. And marsh shouldn't even be in test side.
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Mitch Marsh should be given the captaincy in both short forms... then eventually take over in tests. He's done a great job captaining WA
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
The only way Khawaja improves is if he's guaranteed an extended run in the team, especially overseas. He's too talented not to conquer those conditions.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Luckily he can whack it but it's a ridiculous stat none the less.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Good call.
George
Guest
It won't drop. He doesn't fit in with CA's boofhead culture.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Almost looks like an A team line up...
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Think we are going for too many "All-rounders" Head, M Marsh, Stoinis...... We need to sure up the batting. For me one them has to go and for me if we are playing two genuine spinners in Agar (i'm still not convinced on Agar) and Lyon then it's Head especially with Finch & Maxwell quite capable of bowling a couple overs if needed. Hopefully Khawaja dominates the A tour and continues his domination in Domestic one day comp and then hopefully the penny will finally drop.
AREH
Roar Guru
Sit him at first slip to counter any possible rules?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I think Renshaw has massive potential as a 50-over batsman. He's really expanded his game over the last 9 months as he's realised just how intimidating a batsman he can be. Really looking forward to watching him in the domestic One Day Cup starting in 2 months from now, I think he's going to have a big tournament.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
If everyone is fit for the home ODIs against SA in November this looks like Australia's best lineup to me: 1. Finch 2. Head 3. SMarsh 4. MMarsh 5. Maxwell 6. Stoinis 7. Carey 8. Agar 9. Starc 10. Hazlewood 11. Lyon
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Tremain struggled in List A cricket early in his career, but has improved a lot since, averaging 27 with the ball over the past three years, with that average inflated by playing in the slaughterhouse 5-0 ODI series in South Africa, where SA's batsmen went nuts. Tremain did ok in that series in SA, taking 7 wickets at 36, which compared favourably with his teammates.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
On Zampa he's just had a really good tournament in the English T20 comp, taking 9 wickets at 13, with a fantastic economy rate of 6.5rpo. Zampa's T20 record over the past two years is insane - 61 wickets at 17, with an economy of 6.7rpo. In that time he's done really well in tournaments in India, England, the Caribbean and Australia, showing his versatility. It boggles the mind how he isn't in Australia's T20I team.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I think you need to have a look again at Zampa's more recent form. He played 4 ODIs last summer vs England (in Australia) and took two wickets at an economy of more than 6 an over. His overall record is decent but he was out of form that summer and got dropped. I think Zampa deserved to be picked for the subsequent T20I tri-series because his record in T20Is is excellent, but the selectors obviously put a lot of weight on his poor returns in the ODIs (and the BBL before that). Agar was picked instead after a strong BBL, performed brilliantly in the tri-series (7 wickets from 5 matches at an economy of just 6.38) and became the incumbent. That's just how form works - fail, get dropped; perform, get picked. As I said, it's Swepson who should make way for Zampa.
I no
Guest
JamesH agar has played 13 t20i and only 10 wickets at odis 9 matches and only 8 wickets in tests 4 matches for 9 wicket that ain't good zampa in t20i has the same amount of games and ha 17 wickets at just about the same economy rate and in Odis zampa has played 31 times for 42 wickets so I'd much rather zampa.
Paul
Roar Guru
you can't substitute for a pre-existing injury. You're also supposing Lynn gets to bat first. What happens if he has to bat second? It'd look mighty strange if he blasts 90 off 40 then says he can't field!
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Andrew Tye has played 7 ODI, he’s had to bat in all 7 of them. When your number 9 or 10 has to bat that regularly in ODI cricket it says a lot about the state of the batting line up.