The Australian top six for the first Test of the summer is far from settled.
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith enjoyed successful Ashes series and will be certain to keep the three and four positions, Matthew Wade’s two Ashes centuries should see him keep the number five spot, while David Warner’s Shield century at the Gabba should see him hold on for the time being.
That leaves one opening spot, as well as the number six position.
If the selectors want a pace all-rounder, Marcus Stoinis looms as the most likely option at six, having passed 50 in all three of his Shield innings this season.
However, if the selectors want a younger batsman, either Will Pucovski or Josh Philippe loom large. Pucovski, in particular, has been backed for a Test spot by a number of former players.
As for the opening contenders, nobody has done well enough to demand selection.
Nic Maddinson and Marcus Harris both made centuries during Victoria’s first match of the season but scored them on a road.
Harris made 50 in Victoria’s second match but, given his poor Ashes series, needs to make more runs to hold onto his spot.
If none of the other opening contenders make a strong enough case in the next two Shield rounds, Australia should consider playing a makeshift opener against Pakistan.
A player that has the potential to succeed is ODI wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Alex Carey (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP)
Carey would certainly be a speculative selection, he has never opened the batting in his first-class career and averages 32 at first-class level.
In domestic limited-overs cricket, Carey usually opens the batting for South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers, yet in the World Cup he batted in the middle order and did very well.
This shows he is able to adapt to better suit the position he is playing in.
While there is certainly no guarantee that Carey will perform as a Test opener, he couldn’t possibly do any worse than Warner, Harris and Cameron Bancroft did in England.
Even if he doesn’t perform as an opener and is dropped, the selectors could bring him back into the side as the keeper whenever Tim Paine retires.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He started his Shield career for SA as an opening batsman. Failed a lot but was in and out of the side in the top order when Tim Ludemann was keeper.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
I really had to check my calendar after reading this. I thought it must have been April 1st. Then I realised it is Halloween which makes a article this scary, for lack of cricket common sense, timely. Logic such as "he couldn’t possibly do any worse than Warner, Harris and Cameron Bancroft did in England", has the be one of the silliest justifications for a dumb selection suggestion ever used. We need to rediscover some value for the Baggy Green, not throw them around like free rubbers at a Schoolies music concert. Even a hint of reality next time would be great.
Simoc
Guest
I would be pretty sure that the top six for this test summer is pretty settled and Carey isn't part of the initial line up. The team will most likely win comfortably making his chances of getting a test match better than Stoinus but highly unlikely. Stoinus was a complete flop in England and needs to do a lot more before he is reconsidered at international level. He obviously chokes on the big stage when it matters most like a few before him, notably Cameron White of recent times.
Brett A
Roar Rookie
"He has never opened the batting in his first-class career and averages 32 at first-class level." Writing this line should have stopped you submitting this article.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Click bait. And I'm a goose for clicking on it.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
The key words in this story are 'ODI Wicketkeeper'. There is little correlation between being able to smash a ball and grinding out a patient innings. He has to prove that yet.
U
Roar Rookie
He’d be in the test side already or very close to it if Paine wasn’t captain.
Larry1950
Guest
A new strategy for test selection, his record is mediocre but he can't do any worse than the incumbent rank failures (one of whom is rated a certainty by the author). Logical? Bit like the guys on a run of failures who "are hitting them well in the nets". Nets don't catch!
DTM
Guest
Maybe we should try Josh Hazelwood as an opening bat - he qualifies. Has never opened in first class cricket and wouldn't be much worse than Warner, Bancroft and Harris in England. Sorry, Mr RD, try and come up with something else.
Tom
No, no he should not be.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Heavens to betsy
Paul
Roar Guru
I usually like to read pieces from writers who are thinking outside the box, but I reckon you might have taken things just a tad to far, Mr Dog. I agree Carey has had an excellent few months with the bat in short form cricket, but right now, there's no place for him in the Test side. We don't need a makeshift opener, we need two guys who can develop into a strong opening combination, not only for the Tests this summer, but for the next 2 or 3 years. Paine will obviously not last forever and assuming he maintains form, Carey certainly looks the front runner to take his place as Test keeper and number 7 bat.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I always enjoy a good selection debate and Carey seems to have a decent technique, but you simply can't pick a guy to open in tests when he's never batted top 3 in first class cricket, even when we don't have anyone currently setting the world alight. If that happens then Joe Burns should just retire. He has a test average of 40 with four centuries from 16 matches, for Christ's sake. He'd be a walk-up start in any other test team outside of India and SA. "Couldn’t possibly do any worse than Warner, Harris and Bancroft did in England" is a bar so low that almost any half-decent Shield batsman would be a candidate. We should be selecting the player who is most likely to succeed in that position this summer, which puts Burns and Harris firmly at the top of the list (assuming Warner will definitely play). If you want a left-field selection to open the batting then how about someone like Maddinson, Hughes, Patterson or Head? They at least bat at or near the top of the order and have had some success there in recent seasons. Also, Carey doesn't normally open for SA in 50 over cricket. He's only done it occasionally and he normally bats in the middle order. T20 is the only format where he has opened with any regularity.