Cameron Bancroft's ton was a timely reminder

This is where I said last year that CA was kitting off its nose in spite of its face. I was happy with the 12 month international ban but all 3 should have been back playing shield cricket at the start of the summer. In my mind Warner and Smith walks back in, but CA has added huge risk to that by not allowing them enough red ball cricket.

I did. And the answer to my question: When was the last time Aus won an Ashes in England with Anderson opening the bowling? Is: Never.

His last 2 Ashes series (2015 and 2017). Less than 2 wickets/innings. 27 wickets in 16 innings. Hardly a threat as an opening bowler. Australia’s batting is stronger than that of Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and last decade’s West Indies…which is where Anderson has compiled his record. It’s one thing to post a stats site, Mick. You need to read it too.

He's easily a natural pick but the choices he made do have consequences. One was the punishment and that is well and truly sorted. His problem, however is that he re-enters the race after a pit stop but the others are a few laps ahead with new tyres and a full tank. There's going to have to be some good driving (and cutting, hooking, glancing...). Bancroft, at least, got some games to get back into the race.

Based on what?? When was the last time Aus won an Ashes in England with Anderson opening the bowling? Would that be Never??? Perhaps you need to do some research Don. http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Series/SeriesListCountry.asp?A=AUS&B=ENG&W=X

If Burns, Harris, Bancroft keep punching out tons for the rest of this summer, even more so if they all get county gigs, then I would expect that the CA selectors will be having a word with Warner suggesting that he needs some great ODI form to be batting in the first test. Fair enough too.

I’m not saying he’s cemented. At the moment I think Burns is cemented because of the 180 followed up by two consistent scores in the shield. I have Harris as next man in in the top order behind Warner and Burns. Followed by Bancroft who could also tour as back up keeper.

Not all summer...unless you are looking at constant replays of the same balls. Anderson's threat seems to be the product of that same exaggeration. He doesn't have a record against Oz that engenders fear.

JL and his coaching values.

fair call for sure Matt, but I can't get some of those soft dismissals in the Tests out of my head, Matt. They were simply a bad look, as were those from Head in the India series, though he seems to have got past that, at least for now.

The only ones exaggerating it were the channel 7 replays of him getting out caught in the infield all summer. I don’t doubt the guy can bat and when he learns to pace his innings will post some big tons from the top of the order as he did yesterday. However, we all know Anderson and co will have watched those replays too and come up with a clinical plan on how to dismiss him. Why feed the guy to the wolves when he can bat with Smith at 2nd drop and learn the craft from a master? With so many options in the openers slots someone’s going to be unlucky. Would you take 2nd drop on an Ashes tour over 12th man???

As he showed against QLD. It's interesting we've suddenly gone from rags to riches batting wise. Funny how that has happened now Bumrah and others have left the country. But it's great to see. Between Bancroft, Harris, Patterson, Burns, Head, Labuschagne hit a 50, we suddenly have everyone in form.

Great effort by Bird, who has fallen back in the pecking order a bit even though his formed has remained constant. Is he a bowler who would do well in England?

That 170 to win the match for Victoria might help Harris' cause just a bit.

Bit left field, but I quite like the idea of Warner at 3. Khawaja is in no form whatsoever, and his runs v a battered Sri Lanka on a Canberra Highway count for nothing in my opinion. I'd also suggest his inclusion in the LOI squad for India, and probably for the UAE as well further limits any red ball cricket he may play. Warner although untested at no.3, I do believe he has the temperament to play the role being able to move up and down the gears. The other upside, is it means not needing to blood another opening partnership and particularly one between two very similar players at the start of an Ashes series. The issue for me is his lack of red ball cricket and CA's poor decision to not allow him, Smith and Bancroft to play 1st class cricket. Smith at 4 is his preferred position, where he averages 74 across 43 innings. In saying that he does also average 67 batting at 3 across 29 innings. Again like Warner, his return is clearly hamstrung by both the ban from 1st class cricket as well as both of their presumed inclusions in the squad to play v UAE, and then World Cup. Aside from 3 in from batsmen, 1 proven performer and 2 class players (khawaja, Renshaw) all vying for 3 spots the other issue is the final two bowling spots. So hopefully someone can bowl their way into form, and into the team. Personally I could imagine their being more value in guys like Pattinson, Bird etc than just sliding Hazlewood and Starc straight back in. So you'd have 1. Burns 2. Harris 3. Warner 4. Smith 5. Patterson/Head 6. Patterson/Head/Neser, Stoinis (all rounder probably not Stoinis due to lack of red ball cricket) 7. Paine 8. Cummins 9. Lyon 10.? 11. ? 12th. Maxwell, Khawaja, Bancroft, Wade, Handscomb, etc

No. Don't exaggerate that mode of dismissal. He has had far more than 3 first class innings. He has way more shots than that one too.

Second string in the sense that none of them would be picked (except possibly Copeland at 7 as an allrounder) if Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon were available to play. It's a very, very good second string attack, though.