Cast your minds back, for those old enough, to the summer of 1994-95 when ODI cricket was at its peak and the Australian Cricket Board decided to spice up the series featuring England and Zimbabwe by including a developmental Australian A side.
The controversy this created is an article in itself, but there were some very handy cricketers in that team who went on to become household names in all forms of the game, especially Test cricket.
Right now, the Australian Test side seems quite settled, bar a couple of positions. But as is the case with any sport, players will retire and lose form, so the question is who would replace them?
My next Test XI are those players from the current first-class teams who have not played Test cricket for Australia: Sam Whiteman, Bryce Street, Will Puckovski, Daniel Solway, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Swepson and Lance Morris.
Much has been made about the quality of Will Puckovski and Cameron Green. There seems little doubt both have the talent to forge long, successful careers at Test level.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
I see Puckovski captaining this team, more because selectors have an aversion to choosing bowling skippers. I also see him batting three in the long term for Australia. He also fits in there in this team because there aren’t any other candidates.
At the top of the order, Sam Whiteman has made great strides as a batsman since being promoted to opener. Centuries this season against NSW and Tasmania suggest he could be a long-term option for Australia.
Bryce Street would anchor the innings. He has a very solid technique, but could do with scoring more quickly. A first-class strike rate of 30 is okay, as long as he has an in-form, fast-scoring partner at the other end and is able to regularly turn over the strike.
Daniel Solway might be a surprise pick for some, but he’s been sneakily good for the Blues in the ten matches he’s played. He averages a shade over 48 with the bat, with six scores of 50 or better in his first 17 innings.
Australia seems blessed with players who make very good Test keeper-batsmen, but the same can’t be said for our middle-order batting. Selectors want reliability and consistency, which is not something we’re seeing from the likes of D’Arcy Short, Ben McDermott and Jake Doran.
This is why I’ve chosen Josh Inglis as a specialist batsman. He’s been around the first-class scene for what seems like forever, but is only 25. He’s also had a breakout season with the bat, making two centuries and a 50 in his four games this year.
Cameron Green batting six might raise some eyebrows but in this side, he would need to bowl at least 15 overs per day. He’s also one of the quicker bowlers in the side, so batting down the order makes sense, given his role as an all-rounder.
(Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
In some ways, Alex Carey is almost the forgotten man in Australian cricket. He’s quietly gone about his business and is rightly considered the next in line for Tim Paine’s spot. That said, Josh Inglis is putting on the pressure with his batting in the opening Shield rounds.
He deserves his place in this team and hopefully has a chance to take over the Test keeping duties but he’ll be 30 next year and if Paine decides to retire after the Ashes, will selectors want a keeper who has perhaps four or four good years.
Micheal Neser and Sean Abbott select themselves. Both are in the current Australian Test squad and both would give 100 per cent if they had the opportunity to wear the baggy green.
The question for Mitchell Swepson is not if he will play Test cricket but when? He’s been the player of the Shield series to date. He’s bowled in six innings, taken five wickets on three occasions and 23 wickets on surfaces where the best part of 20 centuries have been scored. To say he’s taken his bowling to another level is an understatement.
The final fast bowling spot is a true toss of the coin. Perhaps it’s got something to do with the surfaces in Adelaide but there are not a lot of standouts to choose from. There also appears to be a sameness about the bowling options. Harry Conway, Wes Agar, Scott Boland, Aaron Hardie and Cameron Gannon are all there or thereabouts and, of course, Riley Meredith can’t be excluded.
I’ve gone for a guy who seems to have a bit extra in Lance Morris. His figures aren’t flattering (six wickets at nearly 40 with a strike rate of 66), but he’s only played three matches so far and has also taken a five-for already. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on pitches that offer more to bowlers.
There is some exciting talent in this team, but it also highlights some worries, especially in the batting, where the talent is not being matched by consistency.
I look forward to being entertained by many of these players over the next decade.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He hadnt scored a ton but he had scored many 50s including 90s and 80s in previous seasons. His batting has demanded selection. If it hadn't, Whiteman, Phillippe, Bancroft would have replaced him.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Abbott and Neser will need zimmer frames by the time the future arrives. They are a bit wrinkled for such teams. For those interested, Jye Richardson had his first visit to the bowling crease in grade cricket last weekend. 2/40ish. He has been playing as a batsman and has one 50 in 3 games. One day someone will recognize the youth and consistency of Mark Steketee.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Phillippe hasn't been available for any Shield games yet. He has been playing IPL.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think all the Test guys you named are desperate to play in the next Ashes and of them, probably Warner and Paine are certainties if they stay on. Agreed though, by Jan 2022, I'd reckon all these guys would be gone, giving Inglis, Puckovski & Green the chance to step up.
Paul
Roar Guru
exactly, Before the summer started, I'd have thought he was a lock for any Test squad if picking players based on last season's form. He's been cruelled by a slow start to the Vics summer and a hot start by his opening mates.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
A lot of talk about whether current Aussie pitches compromising the bowlers and helping batsmen too much.. Could this be a reason Aus has no longer historical domination in World Cricket. Personally I think it is… Reason I have come to that conclusion is to compare my own South African team whom Last decade has been a golden age for SA quicks..the likes of Steyn, Morkel, Abbott, Philander, Rabada, Ngidi etc have prompted pitch prep to suit them.. Aussies think all our pitches are super prepped for fast bowling. … But historically only the Wanderers is.. Dry conditions making it a hard surface, spiced up with regular thunderstorms greening it up and add altitude makes it so.. The rest…Newlands, Kings Park in Durban and St George’s Park P. E traditionally favored seam, spin … And good batting.. All last 10 years tho being doctored to favor fast bowling….. Today SA has a batting crisis whose roots were planted so long ago.. I see many parallels with Aus cricket..
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Chris some times I wish it were test and 30 overs limited cricket only . Wed get alot better look at test cricketers and their batting styles and techniques would be more unirform and ex inable to settle closer to the test format but it’s a nostalgic wish it seems
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Yep neser could be handy in sa for sure , pitches will be souped up for sure. Hoepfully selectors will be smart enough to look at the pace options variety for said conditions
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Neser at gabba at home pitch could be a very good selection if series is won and a seamer under performs or has hamstring issues
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Madinson has been unlucky ,not enough test cricket happening to select him and iron out the best team until the summer and sa in Feb
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Paul don’t hold your breath for changes to sa tour unless pucovski and green get starts this summer . Great article based on last tours of sa and england where Australia failed to win we need to encourage the youth . Noted paine 36 at end of year , warner 35 next year ,wade 33 this month and burns 32 next year . Not a bunch of spring chickens when you look at when players start to lose 20 20 eye sight and timing and not a lot of cricket outside of summer time tests next 14 months
Felix
Guest
I hope Chris Hartley syndrome doesn’t set in. He played many a match saving / winning knock for QLD and was the purists keeper. I have always felt that he was one of those players that had the rare ability to lift his game above his accepted talent and would have made an exceptional Test player. He absorbed deliveries and could support the late middle order and then assume the leadership role with the tail and turn Qld’s many, many collapses into respectable 250-300’s.
AREH
Roar Guru
Possibly harsh given the impressive start to his FC career
JamesH
Roar Guru
"Selectors want reliability and consistency, which is not something we’re seeing from the likes of D’Arcy Short, Ben McDermott and Jake Doran." Ben McDermott has only been dismissed under 50 twice this season. He has four half centuries - one in every game. Yes, you could make the argument that he needs to score hundreds (his 1-15 conversion rate is terrible) but he's been dismissed for 90 twice this season. I think sometimes we focus too much on that magical 3-figure mark when in reality the difference between 90 and 100 is pretty negligible in most matches. For context, I'm happy for the likes of Inglis, Street and Whiteman to be picked based on current form. McDermott, Larkin and Hughes are all a little stiff though, having offered more prior to this season. I'd also have about 7 other bowlers ahead of Morris but that argument's already been made by others.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I think the point is that if you're putting both Carey and Inglis in the team, give the gloves to the guy who is rated the better pure keeper (Inglis). If you're picking one of them right now to replace Paine in the test side then it's still Carey, but Inglis is closing the gap.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Philippe can't even get a Shield game at the moment. He's definitely on the radar for T20's, but needs to break into a Shield team before he can even start to push a case for test cricket.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
You forgot Copeland. They played a 5-man attack, four pace bowlers, and still no Tremain. So for his sake I almost hope he's injured as the reason he's not getting a game, because if not, it's basically proving that his move back to NSW was absolute career suicide. I know he's originally from NSW, but I still thought it was a strange move to come to NSW because at best it would mean that he would miss any matches where the test attack was all available. Gone is his chance of playing every Shield match. But if he's fit and healthy and not being picked in a 5-man attack featuring only one of the big-3 NSW quicks, then he's got problems!
Steve
Guest
Our next-gen Test team will be built around Marnus, Cummins, Pucovski, green, JRichardson, Philippe and Swepson .. and then there will be guys who are now 15-18yo who will fill the other spots. Jack edwards and that Morris from WA will be there and there about, too.
Steve
Guest
Solway? Seriously? He’s lucky to be playing for NSW! He’d be struggling to find a top order spot in a WBBL team.
AREH
Roar Guru
Think there's time for Doran if he can just put 1-2 dominant seasons together