Usman Khawaja could be in doubt to play the first Ashes Test after being left out of the 24-man group for the Australia vs Australia A match starting Tuesday, the final game before the Ashes.
There are only five days between the end of that match and the first Test at Edgbaston. If Khawaja is not deemed fit enough to play in this trial match due to his hamstring injury, he may not be right for the Ashes opener either.
Khawaja would likely be an automatic selection in Australia’s XI if healthy, but it remains to be seen whether he can recover in time, with the series starting just 11 days from now.
It would be a big blow to Australia given the stability offered by having veterans Khawaja, David Warner and Steve Smith in their top four. Yet they also have better batting depth than they’ve boasted in years.
Joe Burns, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Wade all have solid claims to play the first Test.
Warner, Smith and Travis Head should be locks in the top six. If Khawaja is unavailable, that would leave those six aforementioned batsmen competing for three spots.
(AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
It is nigh-on impossible to predict which of those six would get the nod. There are so many permutations. For example, would Australia consider playing one of Harris, Burns or Bancroft at No.3 in place of Khawaja?
In England, where minimising damage in the first 20 overs of your innings is paramount, Australia could find it appealing to have someone at first drop who is used to facing the new ball.
Harris and Burns have both done enough to justify opening in the first Test, but clearly only one of them can partner Warner. Harris did a fine job of consistently blunting the new ball against India’s elite attack, while Burns has made four Test tons and averages 40 after 16 matches.
Both men made centuries in Australia A’s four-day match against Sussex. Burns also has experience batting throughout the order in first-class cricket, having debuted at No.6 in Tests and batted between No.3 and No.5 for Queensland early in his Sheffield Shield career.
Bancroft, meanwhile, was very impressive with the bat in his last Test series. Against South Africa’s dominant pace attack and in sometimes difficult conditions he was Australia’s leading run-scorer over the first three Tests, with 223 runs at 37.
Bancroft also has significant experience in the UK, having played 25 first-class matches there, and is on a run of hot form, with 513 runs at 73 in his past four county matches, albeit in Division 2.
The leading run-scorer in that division by a long way is another contender for the first drop spot should Khawaja be unfit: Marnus Labuschagne.
After an underwhelming start to his Test career, Labuschagne has run amok in England with 1114 runs at 66, including five tons. Labuschagne batted at No.4, behind Khawaja, in Australia’s last Test and has often been at first drop for Glamorgan this county season.
Labuschagne also has the advantage of being a handy fifth bowling option. Since he made his Test debut in the UAE nine months ago, he has become a regular bowler for the first time in his red-ball career, taking 35 wickets at 39 in that period.
While his leg spin is not economical, it is a genuine wicket-taking option, as evidenced by his first-class strike rate of 62 in that period.
Granted, he is nowhere near the quality of these bowlers, but when you consider the first-class career strike rates of Nathan Lyon (67) and Moeen Ali (65), Labuschagne’s rate underlines that he is a real threat with the ball, albeit an expensive one.
Either Patterson or Wade could also come into the XI if Khawaja is unavailable. Smith could well take over from Khawaja at No.3, opening up a position further down the order. Patterson and Wade both are deserving of Ashes opportunities. The latter was overlooked many times for Test selection in recent years.
When finally he got his chance in February against Sri Lanka he made 30 and 114*. Yet if the selectors pick on recent form, Patterson will need to pile up runs in this intra-squad match after having a limp end to the last Shield season and making scores of four, 32 and 38 so far on this UK tour.
Playing the ball late and with soft hands, his style appears suited to conquering the Dukes ball in England. I sense, though, that will matter less than recent form.
Wade, then, is a huge chance to play at Edgbaston – even if Khawaja is healthy – considering his prime touch. But with so many batsmen in the mix, the final make-up of Australia’s top six will be decided by performances this week in the intra-squad match. Rarely has there ever been so much riding on a non-international fixture for Australia.
Graeme Hick XII
Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (c), Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Chris Tremain and Nathan Lyon.
Brad Haddin XII
David Warner, Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Travis Head (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Will Pucovski, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood and Jon Holland.
U
Roar Rookie
I think Warner is a ticking time bomb when it comes to reacting to the booing.
Neel
Roar Guru
I would have Burns over Harris as well.
Neel
Roar Guru
I can’t wait for the match though. It should be good.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
The Barmy Army would be relentless if the three involved in the cheating were reunited.
JamesH
Roar Guru
It would be really rough for Burns to miss out but I feel like the selectors will go with a top 3 of Warner, Harris and Bancroft if Khawaja isn’t 100%. Burns has just never been one of the chosen, despite a strong test record. You’re right that Patterson has probably played himself out of contention. He’s gone back to not converting his starts (although they’ve been playing him in his Shield position of 3-4 instead of 6, where he would likely bat in the test side). I think it will be down to Labuschagne vs Wade for the number 6 spot. A top six of Warner, Harris, Bancroft, Smith, Head and Wade actually looks pretty solid, especially when you consider that we seem to have some decent backup options to come in if needed.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
If selections were made purely on performance Wade should be in the team already. Which says to me there are other factors at play - I'm guessing culture...?
Paul
Roar Guru
Ronan, this series will be about grafting runs from an Australian perspective. Anderson is obviously at his best when the Duke ball is moving around, so the question is, who's best suited to get us off to a start with minimal chance of losing a wicket? The next issue is deciding who should bat three bearing in mind, the aim should be to bat two days, exactly the same as Pujara did to us last season. For mine, we should play the 3 openers, Warner, Harris and Burns in that order, then Smith, Head and take your pick between Patterson, Wade or Labuschagne.
Partyhat
Roar Rookie
Malan was good...I think....but I think it’s a World Cup hangover, I can’t seem to recall England’s team or test form ! (Apart from Cooky retiring ;( )
Peter Warrington
Guest
Am I the only fan of the man Malan? Whoooaaoh Black Betty...
Partyhat
Roar Rookie
Happy for him to chance his arm (within reason) as long as selectors tell him he’s got all 5 tests whatever happens. I’m ok with Vince too, I just hope he somehow he gets a big score. He’s one of those players who never looks out of touch, strokes his way to 30 and gets out!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Nine times in the last 6 Tests alone. Three of those times being 5 down for under 100. The top order has looked quite unsettled for some time, probably England's key weakness. Can Roy preserve his wicket or are you thinking he just chances his arm by hopefully blasting a quick-fire 30 or 50? May expose your number 3 - whoever is settled on - and Root too early too often to the new ball.
Partyhat
Roar Rookie
It’s nice to have so many options. It seems so long since England have played tests my memory is hazy but I’m fairly certain over the last 2-3 years we’ve ,only about once, not been about 100 for 3 down. Might as well chuck Roy in to open, everyone’s hoping he’ll turn out like Warner (who , it must be said,when it was first suggested about him playing test cricket most people were against it)
U
Roar Rookie
Harris is another Cowan. Gets starts and gets out. Burns actually makes 100s. Burns Warner Smith Head Patterson Lab Paine Pattinson Starc Cummins Lyon
Jero
Roar Rookie
Check out the match figures for the Canberra Test, when Burns hit 180 and Patterson 114no. The Sri Lanka attack included Rajitha in just his 4th Test, Fernando in his 3rd, and Karanuratne on debut. The only two bowlers with any level of experience, Perera and de Silva, didn't take a single wicket the whole Test, in which Australia lost only 8. Then both moved on to Shield duties. Patterson started well with 134 against WA, then made 7, 27, 9, 10, 14, 0, 19 and 76. At least the 76 came against a lethal Patterson, Siddle, Tremain and Boland seam attack in the Shield final. After Canberra, Burns made 60, 80, 28, 0, 11, 0, 31 and 3. I guess it's fair to say that batting against strong Shield attacks and Duke balls was a bit of a step up compared to a very inexperienced Sri Lanka attack, in foreign conditions for them. All the while, in the same batch of February to March Shield matches, Wade hit, 77, 15, 86, 1, 38, 134, 34 and 65. I guess it's fair to say that using that Sri Lanka series as a point of distinction to show Burns' and Patterson's performances against supposedly superior attacks, as compared to Wade's supposedly lesser performances in a lowly domestic competition, is another form of Fool's Gold. It's little wonder also that Patterson's season Shield average of 40.22, Burns' of 38.05 and Wade's of 60.05 have so far proven to be a reliable predictor of future success. As has been fairly evident in England since June. And why we should really pay little attention to that Sri Lanka series.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Yeah that must have been an amazing innings Ronan. I remember you speaking about it a few years ago. Incredible that both Kohli and Pujara were playing
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I have a horrible feeling you’re right. I hope he makes a ton this week and shines a light on his selection
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I understand your viewpoint on 5th bowling options Dave but every Test selection panel in the world disagrees with you - every Test team makes a point (more often than not) of picking someone in their top 6/7 who can act as a decent 5th bowling option. The fact Labuschagne has made 5 county tons this season is reason enough to treat him as a proper specialist batsman, with his handy leg spin then an added bonus that improves the balance of a red ball side, the same way Pattinson's batting is an advantage for him in a hypothetical line-ball call between say he and Bird. I'm not saying Labuschagne should be a lock in the Test XI rather that, if he is picked, then his bowling 100% improves Australia's attack for a variety of reasons.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I'm not saying Australia has 2000-era levels of batting talent I'm pointing out that it is many years - at least 7-8 years - since there has been such heavy competition for Test batting spots.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Just hope they don’t place too much importance on one match for selection, especially the actual scores. Tim Paine said they wouldn’t be, which is reassuring. Anyone with the slightest insight who has watched cricket for a few years should understand that individual scores depend on an element of luck and what might be regarded as a player’s natural error rate, which is reflected in a longer term average. If you get a good ball or make a mistake one day and get a low score it doesn’t tell you a lot about what happens next time and the time after. By all means use to help assess the kind of form players are in if there isn’t much to choose between a couple, but the key decisions should have been made by now. If Labuschagne has made a lot of his runs against really good bowlers in division Two county maybe he could be considered, but I’ll say once again - his leg spin is neither here nor there. At this stage, I’d rather have Burns or Harris at 3 and Wade at 6.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
It does seem strange Ronan. How many players has CA had in England since the end of May with the WC squad and Aus A? Another 6 weeks with 18, even one or two more, wouldn't have been a huge impost on CA (or the players, noting they don't have other cricket commitments that I can see). Even if they then trimmed the squad after the 3rd Test. That said, perhaps the thinking is that one or more of Burns, Bancroft, Labuschagne, Siddle, Pattinson could be drafted in at short notice from their County sides if required.