Australia's Test opening candidates are not stepping up

Like I said, Warner is the only one of the potential test openers who is part of the T20 squad, so the others will all be able to play these last two Shield matches before the first test. Hopefully that will give some more indication. It's really tough at this point because, yes, there have been such incredibly varying conditions across different matches. Burns stocks have certainly risen simply by not playing in the Ashes. But as others have said, the selectors have never seemed incredibly keen on him. So it's hard to know what to think. With Burns playing in tougher conditions, he also has the advantage that they are his home conditions. If he'd managed to defy the conditions and make scores in those tougher conditions to match Harris scores in much easier conditions, he'd be a lock at this point. But instead, it's still all up in the air. Victoria's next match is in Hobart, which will hopefully be slightly tougher batting conditions for Harris to face. Burns has another home game in Qld, before the two teams play in Melbourne in the last Shield match before the first test. Hopefully the MCG curator can come up with a better pitch, that's not a complete road, for that one.

Its just hard to fathom that the worst opening combo in test history over 3 to 5 matches are opening in australia straight away without being really forced to earn their way back in !! I don’t think any other nation would pick them both even if their home averages are decent. I think we must remember burns has played two matches on the hardest pitch to bat on so far. He’s got one more there too. An argument to say Pakistan won’t be as effective at the gabba as our own that bowled to burns and warner there. WACA was certainly batting friendly if sean marsh made 200 plus. Smith and henriques hit centuries first innings at drummoyne so Burns had the hardest shield venue to bat in last round

Hopefully he will. right now we certainly have bigger problems . I do believe Pakistan won't pose the threats as much as other teams will despite a few great players so we have the chance to rotate one or two players in the first two tests

Would have Burns opening with Warner.

None of Harris, Bancroft, or Warner should play. All were absolutely shocking in the Ashes. I'd open with Hughes and Burns. Labushagne and Neser. Give Pucovski a go.. and avoid tired injured trundlers like Siddle and Pattinson, when you have Jhye Richardsons and Nick Winters in shield doing well. Paine also adds nothing special, replace with Carey. Hughes, Burns, Head, Lasangatrain, Smith, Pucovski, Carey, Neser, Starc, Richardson, Lyon (Cummins) Not sure about leaving Cummins out, but I really want to see how Jhye goes in test cricket.

He got 10 wickets for the match, that's going to include some tail-enders. But I believe 5-6 of those wickets were top-7 batsmen.

(Note, Harris has only played 3 innings, they didn't play a second innings on that road). At this point I think Harris probably is the front-runner for the second opener position. Warner may be playing the T20's but neither Harris or Burns are, so they both have two more Shield matches to score runs. So I think there's still a lot to happen before that position is decided. These next two Shield matches will have a big say.

When Starc gets things right he does get top-order wickets. At his best, Starc swings the new ball, then when the ball gets old he gets reverse. There was a period of time when it was almost a given that Starc would get a wicket in the first over of the test innings just about every time. When he gets the rhythm right and the seam position right then he can be almost unplayable even for top-order batsmen.

I said before the summer that if the selectors really want Warner to play the tests they should leave him out of the T20 internationals so he can play all the shield matches. I get why they wouldn't though, there is an aspect where they are probably trying to take the T20 internationals slightly more seriously as they try to break their drought with a T20 World Cup coming up next year. So they want to be picking their best team for that, instead of, what they've often done, just picked the second eleven team for the T20's. I hope he plays the last Shield match. But I do fear that in his situation, where he just needs some solid first class cricket to get his feet moving properly. Switching to T20 mode then back again quickly for the last shield game is the last thing he needs.

The fifth test was an interesting one. Clearly in the lead up the Aussies had this belief that the Oval pitch was going to be one which would suit Warner more and he'd finally come good in that match. They probably thought that under the law of averages he had to finally have a good innings surely. Don't get me wrong, if you go through stories and comments from before that fifth test I was saying they should drop Warner too. I'm with you on that. I wouldn't have brought Carey in like you, but I felt like Warner was a shot duck and they should have opened with Khawaja also. But they could have done that and still been 2 for not much, you just don't know. Or maybe they could have been right and things could have clicked for Warner in that test. As I said, it's a tough job being a selector, rarely get credit for good calls, but get slammed whenever a selection doesn't work.

What I was meaning is, that while he had good county form and was someone who was definitely in the running, nobody would have predicted him coming out of the Ashes as being considered comfortably the second best player behind Smith. He was someone who was a fringe player, always likely to be one of the ones pushed out when Smith and Warner returned, but his awesome county form turned heads and got him into the squad. But as it was, the selectors were pretty much forced to pick Wade, they were never going to not pick Head for that first test as I'm still convinced there was a real hope he'd make a good enough test cricketer to be the next captain, and if Khawaja was fit he was going to play at 3. I always felt Labushagne's best chance of playing the first test was Khawaja not being fit in time. No matter how well he did leading up to the Ashes, there just didn't seem a place in the starting eleven for the first test. In the end, the blow on Smith ended up proving a positive for Australia in giving Labushagne a chance and he took it, but it's still hard to argue that any of Khawaja, Head or Wade should have missed out for Labushagne in that first test. I was also pointing out that the selectors probably deserve some kudos for Labushagne's selection originally in the UAE, because few people thought that was a good call, but clearly they saw something in him and gave him a shot, and now it's starting to pay off.

I think that's a fair point Micko. Although he does seem to have more inconsistency that some of the other more established openers over the past decade. That said, if he could get re-established he may be able to iron out the unevenness.

Funny stuff, good chatting with you.

Pierro, Agree with your comments. He has toughed it out on occasions, my only point is that he has got himself out when well set. No hundreds in 15 test innings, he needs that big hundred in test cricket to elevate himself even higher.

I think he had a century down but for archer hitting him in the head in one test and also yesterday he looked like he was going on in to the 70s. If he’s making 50 to 60 every test I’m delighted . They opposition are being made to earn his wicket. Steve waugh used to be tough to get out. He’s not as good or elegant as S waugh off the back foot or with straight drive but has his tenacity

Labs incredible does it again yesterday to win the match. Saved us at Lords , Vital contribution to help us win at manchester and should have got the win with him at headingly without smith playing despite an extroadinay botch up test. He’s the first batsman on the team sheet after smith thats for sure.

Huge form general , he's a definite starter off the back of that innings

or pattinson or both. The play at the oval would have been not to start siddle if they knew about the injury he had and lyon bowled 4 overs first innings. you had to wonder what was going on with the selectors captain and bowlers before it started. Pattinson hard done by too as it moved about and marsh got swing. Arguably hazel wood could have been rested for 5th test after the 200 over 3 days spell 3 days before it seeing he was just back in from injury. Could have started starc and pattinson at oval especially if they knew Paine was going to defy history and idiotically bowl first after backing up within 3 days. Mystery for the ages indeed.

Insult to injury is a great name for you mate. You have to admit the openers are in a terrible place right now but the bowlers provide so many options. Why not pick to our strengths and rotate one of them against pakistan in particular. Richardson definitely warrants a match and some more experience next to starc. Neser is probably not going to go as far but no denying how good he is, particularly at the gabba where starc has not played as well. starc is a truly international class act if selected appropriately to pitch and conditions. Both turning 30 next months good to at the very least build richardson up at 23 yrs of age with a test or two. this series . I expect a good win over pakistani so we can afford to tinker a bit with one bowling rotation before NZ tour

Starc if not picked for his bowling, needs to be picked as an all rounder. 23 with the bat vs Mitch Marsh who is 25 with the bat. Basically the same. Starc is 28 with the ball vs Marsh who is 38. Starc considerably better and able to bowl longer spells. Our batting selections are a disgrace. Joe Burns has been victimised by Langer and the selectors.