The Australian selectors have made a late change to their Test squad to play Sri Lanka, adding New South Wales batsman Kurtis Patterson.
The 25-year-old was one of the glaring omissions from the squad when it was originally named, but a pair of centuries in last week’s tour game seems to have forced the selectors’ hands.
Playing for the CA XI in a three-day match under lights with the pink ball at Blundstone Arena in Hobart, Patterson was the star of the show as he blasted 157 and 102 not out.
The Sri Lankan attack couldn’t remove him throughout the game, but more importantly, he outperformed other key players.
Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne and Will Pucovski – who were all named in the Test squad and are likely to fight it out for the uncertain spots in Australia’s batting order after a tough series against India – all failed in the tour game.
In fact, Labuschagne was the only batsmen to get to 50, doing it in the second innings, while Matt Renshaw had scores of 7 and 10, Burns 4 and 22 and Pucovskvi 23 and 33 not out.
Patterson has also averaged 47.55 in the Sheffield Shield this season, scoring 428 runs.
The numbers presented a compelling case for Patterson’s late inclusion in the Test squad, and the selectors biting the bullet and adding him suggests he is well and truly in line for a debut in the baggy green when the first Test gets underway on Thursday.
The original squad was named two weeks out from the first Test, which raised eyebrows given the tour match was still to be played.
Selector Trevor Hohns said it was a reward for performance.
“The National Selection Panel has added Kurtis Patterson to the squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka,” said Hohns.
“Kurtis has been pushing his case for selection for some time, he has been a consistent top order player for New South Wales, was a member of the Australian A tour of India prior to the commencement of our summer, and was most recently selected to compete in the day night tour match against Sri Lanka in Hobart.”
“We have been asking batters around the country to score hundreds if they want to be considered for selection, and given Kurtis’ consistent performances for NSW and his two unbeaten centuries in last week’s tour match against our upcoming opponent, Sri Lanka, we believe he deserves to be added to the Test squad.”
“Kurtis has joined the squad in Brisbane today to commence our preparations for the first Test starting on Thursday.”
In other selection news for Australia, Josh Hazlewood has picked up a stress fracture and will be missing from the series, and Jhye Richardson was brought into the squad as a replacement over the weekend.
AREH
Roar Guru
Tend to agree for the Ashes. Unless he is horribly out of form. He's also got 11 FC centuries aged just 22, and six of them came in 2018. Having said that, at the moment it's hard to see it differing from Warner, Harris, Khawaja, Smith, Head, Patterson Unless somebody else clearly outperforms Patterson and/or Head in the meantime
bowledover
Roar Rookie
thats what I thought. I think keep Burns at the top and bring Renshaw in lower down the order - he has had success there in UK. I get he doesnt look in good touch at the moment but he has shown he is capable.
AREH
Roar Guru
I'm thinking not - bats almost exclusively as an opener for QLD, and has played a majority of his tests - with most of his success - at the top.
bowledover
Roar Rookie
Is this true? Ive seen this written about both Khawaja and Burns. Does Burns bat down the order in anything other than BBL?
Naz
Roar Rookie
Playing XI has been announced. Wow. My predicted XI was spot on except the order between Patterson and Head.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I agree. Langer knocked it off, probably unintentionally, it is confusing he did not make a vector to the next field position. ---- What really is damming is that he didn't connect the kerfuffle about a missing bail with him with him touching the bail. He could've cleared this up very easily. He should've been penalised especially as his movement between overs was unusual to say the least. ---- No elite excuses
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
We cannot drop Paine. Wade has been making runs for sure, so pick him as a batsmen. He'd be a great 1st slipper. Paine has brought gravitas to the captaincy and is technically the best wicky. You ALWAYS pick the best wicky for tests. ODIs & 20/20 I have no prob with Wade or Carey.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
It's not that silly an idea - re S.Marsh - outside that he tends to be feast or famine with little in between. Ironically Harris is in that 'in between' and needs to convert his starts better. Khawaja is a poor substitute for a number 3 but there's little else perhaps? He just gets bogged down too readily and is very vulnerable. Has anyone been added to the test squad as a batter with worse recent form than Renshaw?? Note that Renshaw had an awful first half of 2017-18 Shield season but after Christmas he was very good. Then to England, and pretty good - (513 at 51.3 with 3 100s, 1 50 and precious little else) but he busted a finger. Since then very little to write home about. A duck and 19 in the India A game (ironically the match Labuschagne made a pair!!). And a dismal start to the shield season here. Those pesky fingers.
AREH
Roar Guru
It might work, but doesn't Burns much prefer opening as he can't handle waiting to bat? I just don't know how beneficial that would be for him
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
No one was hurt in the selection of this team.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I’m pretty sure what just happened creates even more uncertainty, Don. Getting picked in a squad of 13 then having it expanded makes it less likely that a particular person in the original squad will get a game. Better to start bigger and whittle it down closer to the time.
Freddy from Bondi
Guest
It will never happen, but dare I say it (until someone else puts their hand up)... Shaun Marsh to open. IMO that’s his best position and he has the best technique of all our batsmen. 1. Harris 2. S.Marsh 3. Ussie 4.Patterson 5.Pucovski 6.Burns/Head/Laub 7.Wade
Rob
Guest
That's a really good side Chris. I only wish Maxwell was given an opportunity ahead of Labuschange batting at 4.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That would create greater uncertainty, not less. Who will drop out?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's an LBW problem, not a nicking off problem. I'm sure his 9 months off will have addressed that. He's not condemned to do it gor his whole career because he did it once upon a time.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Then pick a slightly bigger squad. If there's any chance that one performance or an injury is going to push a player in then make sure they're included. In light of their inclusions you can only imagine that Patterson and Richardson were close to the original cut. They could easily have been in announced in an extended squad. Feathers in their caps, and the selectors come out of it looking smarter. Win/win.
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
Nope, you’ve way missed the point. Renshaw has proven he can play the moving ball (ah la his successful county season), the ball will (should) be moving around in Brisbane. Therefore a justifiable selection for Brisbane (and, as luck would have it) a real good lead in for the Ashes. And yet you have an issue?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I'm thinking that is necessary for planning for player schedules, Big Bash squads, Shield teams. It certainly does no harm.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Fair call. It reeks of selectors not having any confidence or consistency in their own selection process.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I'm sure the batsmen's names are drawn from a hat. The only pre-requisite being that they are "good blokes". I still maintain Langer & Cheika should swap roles. May be a successful move as both CA & ARU selection processes are shambolic.