A host of Test candidates butchered opportunities to press their claims as Australia A floundered against Pakistan over the past two days at Perth Stadium.
First, the home attack was flayed by Babar Azam (157) and Asad Shafiq (119), who put on an unbeaten stand of 276 at nearly four runs an over before they both retired to let their teammates have a bat.
Then Australia A’s batting line-up fell apart in embarrassing fashion, reduced to 9-57 by an understrength attack missing their best bowler, Mohammad Abbas, as well as the recently-retired Mohammad Amir.
The hosts were torn apart by seamer Imran Khan, who took 2-154 at a whopping run rate of 4.66 in his sole Test in Australia, and batting all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed’s gentle off-breaks. Last night, Khan ended with 5-32 and Ahmed 2-6.
It was a particularly woeful effort when you consider the generous strength of the Aussie batting line-up, how much they each had to play for, and how well the pitch had played during the Pakistan innings.
Each member of the local top-six seemed a chance of playing in the first Test eight days from now. What, then, can the selectors glean from this trainwreck performance?
First, Queensland opener Joe Burns was out for a golden duck, bowled through the gate playing a lazy drive. Then Test incumbent opener Marcus Harris was castled as he played all around a full ball from left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi.
Harris’ main issue in his debut Test season last summer was needlessly slashing at wide balls but now he is looking increasingly vulnerable on off stump. England’s quicks tormented him on that line and Pakistan will look to replicate that should he be picked.
Marcus Harris in happier, runs-scorier days (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
Soon after Harris departed, so too did Usman Khawaja. The veteran left hander is in a deep form trough in red-ball cricket, having made 65 runs at 11 so far this summer. In spite of his fantastic home Test record – 1854 runs at 53 – Khawaja is making himself almost unpickable.
Unless he comes out and plays a sparkling knock today – assuming he gets an opportunity for a second bat – it is hard to see him making his Test comeback after being axed during the Ashes.
With Pakistan deciding to bat again, none of Australia’s candidates may get a second crack.
Travis Head has a stronger case than Khawaja for a recall, after making a ton in his last Shield game and averaging 43 over his 12 Tests this past year.
Yet he also did himself no favours yesterday, donating his wicket with a terribly loose shot, cutting an innocuous delivery from Ahmed straight to point.
Victorian batting prodigy Will Pucovski then nicked behind from a Khan delivery that seemed to surprise him with extra lift. The 21-year-old has now made scores of 5, 3, 7 and 2 after making a hot start to the Shield season.
If he was in blazing touch there would be some merit in giving him an early look at Test cricket. But right now Pucovski appears better served continuing his apprenticeship in the Shield. There is no rush.
Earlier, Australia’s bowlers were impotent against Babar and Shafiq.
Realistically, neither Sean Abbott (0-84 from 24 overs) nor Riley Meredith (2-105 off 18 overs) are Test standard paceman, but this match could have vaulted Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser into the Test XI. Had one of them shredded the Pakistan batting line-up they may well have got the nod ahead of Mitchell Starc.
While both Richardson (3-79 from 29 overs) and Neser (2-57 from 27 overs) were economical, the fact they had no impact until Babar and Shafiq retired won’t have escaped the selectors’ notice.
Starc’s haul of 10-60 in his last Shield match will likely see him join Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the first Test.
Thus far, this match has been a major missed opportunity for more than half the local prospects.
Jero
Roar Rookie
I retract my comment. It should have read Shaun Marsh or Stoinis, in hindsight.
Raimond
Roar Guru
Smith is going to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting again this summer.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
Yeah 4 test hundreds in 16 tests is terrible from Burns... he can't make hundreds at all...
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Only some times has his technique been found out. Most of the time it is rock solid. A player with his application will sort the issues. A process error is not a life long sentence. He has his off side issue sorted. He now works on the uppish leg glance...which he seems to have sorted against Pakistan. It's what professionals do. When there is a weakness, they work it out. Far more important is his list of strengths. When you have the focus and resilience that Bancroft has, you don't scrap it just because bowlers are working to plans too. It's a contest. Burns will work on getting his head over the ball when it is moving. Head will work on getting his cuts behind square to the ground sooner. Renshaw will find where his wickets are. Harris will leave better, rather than hanging the bat...
matth
Roar Guru
To be fair the selectors might not be doing that, just us mug punters who need something to talk about
matth
Roar Guru
I’d take the Kat in a heartbeat right now.
Except that he fails miserably as an opener in Tests? Which is what you should be judged by, not beating up on FC teams then failing every time you go to the next level. He averages 24 as a test opener, thats shocking. Burns averages 40. The case is clear.
matth
Roar Guru
But his technique has been found out at the higher level so far. He can’t find scoring shots, grinds to a halt and gets out. Maybe he would be value away from the new ball, maybe not.
You cant seriously be advocating for Shaun Marsh's inclusion? He's a proven failure at test level, dozens of times we have needed him to stand up just like last summer but conveniently went missing. The fact that he played 38 tests is a travesty in of itself
Why wouldn't he be a chance for selection? Burns deserves to be there on previous test form, albeit a little patchy FC form the last month or so, but what other openers do we have that average over 40 with 4 test hundreds? I won't hold my breath for you to find one....
Johnno
Roar Rookie
WhT game were you watching....straight ball that a lazy Burns missed....
Gee
Roar Rookie
He will probably play if he is in a 12 man squad, they usually have a spare paceman as the 12th man.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
General, what about Jake Fraser-McGurk? A half century on SS debut. This guy's a prodigy. And at the MCG of all places! Apparently his innings was,,,"spectacular"! https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-13/jake-fraser-mcgurk-hits-half-century-on-sheffield-shield-debut/11701056?section=sport I say play him now against a weak Pakistani attack. Look to the future. What if we saw a Pucovski/Fraser-McGurk double hundred partnership at Adelaide Oval? We'll never know if we don't give them a go! Let's test them both out at the highest level. Really want to see the cut of their jib.
Gee
Roar Rookie
That's a Pakistan 16, he is probably at least 19 in reality.
Baggy_Green
Roar Pro
Many reporting that Puckovski is in the 12 for Gabba !! Would be wonderful that. Hoping he succeeds so that he and Marnus would form the long term backbone of the team
Jeff
Roar Rookie
"Cricket n footy keep me sane, well as sane as l can considering it’s me." I sense a paradox in there! Well, at least you know you're not alone in these life challenges. They're individual challenges that only one can deal with oneself because their unique situations, but they're not challenges unfamiliar to many (probably most truth be told). At least you have an outlet through something you enjoy engaging on! So long as you're ok!
Josh H
Roar Rookie
If Australia's picking blokes with a career average of 35 because "he can't do any worse", I fear to see who we pick when we actually don't have 40+ FC average runscorers knocking the doors down. Give me Burns, Head or Khawaja any day, thanks
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Looks terrible, but I actually think that sort of strike rate is pretty standard. England, for one, is even worse. 47 Test debutants since 2010. Only 4 are certainties. Some have dropped off the map completely, like Haseeb Hameed and Scott Borthwick. At least most of the guys you listed had somewhat distinguished first class careers.
anon
Roar Pro
Most batsmen perform better on our dead wickets.
Micko
Roar Rookie
16 years old?! who?