Another chance for runs, and another failure for both Joe Burns and Marcus Harris.
In a first, the Sydney Cricket Ground got day-night first-class cricket yesterday, with the Indians beginning their final three-day tour match against Australia A.
While runs were at a premium for both sides on the opening day’s play, with India first skittled for 194 (of which Jasprit Bumrah made 55 not out) and Australia finishing all out for just 108, Joe Burns succumbed to a second-ball duck, while Harris didn’t fare a great deal better, only making 26.
When you look at the Australia A batting card, Harris is actually made to look like a bit of a world beater, but the rest of the A team (minus Cameron Green) are unlikely to challenge for a spot in the Test XI this summer.
Harris, to be fair, did have runs at Sheffield Shield level to kickstart the season in the South Australian hub, with the Victorian opener making a double ton in the opener and a half-century in the second clash against Western Australia.
His runs put him firmly back on the selection radar for the first Test, but only making 35 in the first innings of last week’s tour game at Drummoyne against the Indians, followed up by Friday’s effort won’t put many brownie points against his name.
He does look to be the better option of the likely selections though, given his 31-year-old Queensland partner’s lean run of form to start the year.
Joe Burns. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Burns’ five innings in the Sheffield Shield tallied just 57 runs at an average of a tick over 11, while he only made four in the first tour game last week.
That, frankly, isn’t worthy of Test selection, and yet, the selectors may feel they have no other choice next Thursday at the Adelaide Oval, given the injury to David Warner and the concussion to Will Pucovski.
The young Victorian, who has had a long history with concussions, will need to be managed back to health and playing by the Australian medical staff, and would appear, for the moment at least, a very unlikely starter in the first Test of the huge upcoming series.
So, while the selectors could well call on Harris, he will need an opening partner.
There has been some talk Marnus Labuschagne could be the man to bridge the gap, but it’s a long-held belief among cricket experts that the best batsmen in the team should be at three and four.
That being said, the men who currently are the incumbents for those roles are Labuschagne and Steve Smith, who are, without a shadow of a doubt, the best batsmen in this Australian team.
The last thing the selectors will want to do is to open up first drop and potentially sacrifice one of those two best batsmen at the top of the order.
Could Labuschagne handle opening? Probably, and almost no doubt about it.
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
But is it the best move for the Aussies? No. Plenty of doubt about that one.
The other option internally at least is to promote the red-hot Matthew Wade up the order. The former wicketkeeper has become a fixture of the middle order, but in the short form of the game at least, he is an opening batsman.
His form against the Indian attack during the recent T20 series was red-hot, and the calm head on his shoulders at this later point of his career tends to suggest it’s a job he may be able to move to.
That, just like Labuschagne, would be a monumental risk though. But it would be offset by the opening of another middle-order spot, which, if his own concussion isn’t too bad, could be filled by an on-debut Cameron Green.
The other option is to go outside the current team, to either Shaun Marsh or Usman Khawaja, just when it looked like both men’s Test careers were on the brink of being over.
Of course, the squad has been picked, but with injuries to Pucovski and potentially Green, there will be scope to make changes should the selectors want to – although trying to work that out in the current COVID landscape could prove tricky.
Both of the veterans could also be an option at number three, though, on top of opening, should the selectors opt to go with Labuschagne at the top.
While Khawaja has a century to his name in the Sheffield Shield games played this year, Marsh has two in five innings to go with an 88.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
His form is outstanding, but his career stats against India are abysmal, averaging just 28. He has also carried this form time and time again, only to falter when called up to the national team, and with his age now well and truly on the wrong side of 35, it would be an untold gamble to go with Marsh.
While Marsh and Khawaja are both experienced options, it would feel like a step back to go with either of them. In saying that though, if the selectors want to look outside the incumbent squad, then the Sheffield Shield stats list is grim reading at the top of the order.
Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft both had a century, but don’t appear to be in the selectors’ sights. But other than the duo who have also played for Australia previously, there is simply nothing to get excited about.
While the selection manual would say to stick with the plan and play Burns and Harris, they simply aren’t in good enough form to warrant both being selected.
It can not be allowed to happen, and as a result, the selectors must do something left-field.
Australia A matches have proven it.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
U might be a prophet!!!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You'd wonder where his high 30s average comes from if he always fails.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The leg side is a strength that is also worked on by bowlers. He get many of his runs there. To call it a weakness is to fall victim to cliche. He still out-performs Weatherald because Jake's strengths are also targeted and are often his downfall.
dan ced
Guest
Oh yeah, forgot about D Hughes. Would get you more runs than Burns.
dan ced
Guest
Bancroft's leg side weakness rules him out, but Whiteman/Weatherald would be a more interesting pick than Marsh or Khawaja imo.
dan ced
Guest
I'd pick Whiteman and Weatherald over those two old crusties! Shaun Marsh FAILS at international level all 20 times he's tried he has done so.
Andrew
Guest
I don't mind the idea of Paine opening, however I still like the idea of promoting Wade. I've never been too fussy about the LH, RH combination, just pick the best 2 available to do the job. I like the idea of Wade opening as he is an attacking batsman like Warner and could pile on early runs taking it to the bowler. This would pressure the bowlers early and put them off their game as Warner has done time and again. Having Harris and Wade open leaves Lab and Smith at 3 and 4 with Green slotting in at 6.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Sorry if I'm coming a bit late to this conversation but I have an option not yet canvassed on these pages. Let's assume Harris is in and Burns is out (I have been supporting his inclusion but now feel that his confidence is completely shot). So, we are looking for a partner for Harris and it is preferable he be a right hander. I don't like the idea of moving Labs up as that compromises the middle order (ditto for Smith). Pushing Wade to open is possibly unfair (that doesn't really matter but he is clearly in his last few tests) and he's a leftie. My suggestion is Paine opens with Harris then Labs, Smith, Head, Wade and Green at 7. Paine has the experience to pull it off and by opening he would show his team mates and the country excellent leadership. It would also give us a LH and RH opening combination. There's a 50% chance we win the toss (in which case we'd bat first) so Paine gets to start his innings in the day time - it is more difficult to bat in the later sessions so he'll have an opportunity to get set. If I were Tim Paine, I'd be putting my hand up for my country.
Klee Gluckman
Guest
Tell Warner to slog till he gets out.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Ha, nice analogy.
Jeansyjive
Roar Rookie
Will be interesting to see if Starc can find some form. Been horrible so far, out of rhythm. He will definitely play given its a day night test.
Zenn
Roar Rookie
Harris Labuschagne Smith Head Wade Green Paine Cummins Starc Hazelwood Lyon 12th man Pattinson
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Bit of a worry opening with Marnus. I’m sure he’d give it a good go, but he’s really found his niche at three and having a settled three and four is vital long term. Doubt that Wade will do much better, but maybe it’s the better option if they are ruling out a stopgap like Khawaja. What happens when Warner comes back I wonder- if it’s Wade to open, does he keep his place if he goes Ok and Green doesn’t, just on the basis of Adelaide.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
It's the way forward matt , ive just gone through our batting at adelaide particularly the three or four day nighters in last five years and not many runs are scored matches against nz and india were very tight there , in fact india won the red ball game . We've virtually had the same bowling line up there since 2015 and only cummins came in 2017 . If you take out the moot win over pakistan last year with warners big knock , it's been tight. We need batting depth the only Aussies to clock centuries at adelaide in the last five years have been warner and Sean marsh who for some reason tends to do better than others at adelaide . Harris made a pair of 27s there against india last time round funny enough
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Quite concerned many are taking this india batting line up for granted and they may actually be suited to day night tests. They effectively have had more of a warm up for adelaide than us given the line up we will play has been rested for the most part out of australia A . I think it’s the one test where starc and lyon can trouble them more tho alongside the gabba . This indian line up is strong . Adelaide tends to play tricky at night deteriating as the match goes on from the two test matches I’ve sat in the crowd there . Bumrah may be a real handful at night with his style of bowling . It seems our batting line up is back to the same problems it had in England at the top but I’m not sure the issue has ever changed with the openers and was covered up last summer with weak opposition and warner back on home soil. surely we will be much better off on the Aussie pitches . Adelaide test is potentially very tricky as is the order of these tests as gabba is our strongest ground. India beat us in Adelaide in 18 with red ball. If India bat first I would be quite concerned. We have to have faith that our bowling will be much stronger in adelaide but the same bowlers bowled at india last time round and india won well . We haven’t changed this bowling line up at adelaide for three years and beyond that the other three have bowled since before 2015 there . Of the DNs they’ve all yielded results within 4 days let alone 3 . I expect this could be a very tight one and india are joint favs with warner out. I’ve just gone back through the last five years and if the batsmen sean marsh actually tends to made big runs at times at adelaide . Smith is lucky to get past 40 to 50 I’m not sure he has there in the last 5 years looking back
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Get Lawry in. The corpse with pads might be a bit closer to the mark
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Ok fair point re seniority. My point is that all players go through form troughs and high scoring periods. You've got to stick with them through the lean to get to the pay off. That as they say is cricket. Today's 24 hr media cycle really pressurises the whole cycle. Poor old burns doesn't look great but then he doesn't even have shield to return to, just bbl. Maybe a test series is where he'll find his way back. If he was good enough once then surely he deserves the faith to get back to it?
Micko
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
mbp
Guest
no brainer. pick aron finch.
Hmmm might be a bit early to write Boult off. He is certainly not currently in his best form. If you have Fox Sports in Australia, I think they are showing the WI/NZ test matches live, so you can judge for yourself. At one time I thought Tim Southee was spent, none moreso than following the disastrous Aussie tour last year - but he had the winter off due to covid (no IPL or any of that cr&p) and he seems to have found a new lease of life. At 32 I think he needs to give the T20 cr$p away, and maybe even the one dayers - but I doubt it as money talks.