Could Australia’s A team beat this English rabble in a Test?
Twenty-six years ago, Australia A took on and took down England in the limited-overs arena.
If Australia’s current second-stringers matched up against England’s Ashes squad in the Test arena there’s a fair chance they’d also emerge victorious.
In 1994-95 when Zimbabwe was the third team in the annual triangular series, the powers that be decided to add an Australia A team to the tournament.
As expected, Australia’s main team led by Mark Taylor qualified for the final.
What was not expected was the Australian A team bettered England in the final pool match at the SCG to finish second on the standings and set up the closest thing we will ever have to a sporting civil war Down Under.
Root’s England squad has meekly capitulated in the first three Ashes Tests and not even the maddest dog or Englishman would believe they will win one of the next two games in the Australian sun.
Former Test batter Damien Martyn, who captained the A team in that memorable series more than a quarter of a century ago which culminated in a hard-fought finals loss to Australia’s top squad, had some fun on social media after the third Test debacle at the MCG.
He went on to say England’s problems stem from the fact that they’re fielding a side with only one player – Root (49.9) – who has an average up to standard for the Test arena.
The rest of the batters in the squad are well below 40 at Test level with a few now south of 30.
“Just look up the first class averages for the top 6 batsmen. Unacceptable avg below 40 in first class cricket to then get picked for test cricket,” he wrote on Twitter.
If Australia’s strongest XI was unavailable for selection, here is how the next-best side would stack up against the Poms.
Top order
For England, take your pick from Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed or Zak Crawley to be the openers for England – whichever two you pick, they’re out of form and struggling in Australian conditions. First drop Dawid Malan is one of the few Englishmen who can cope with the extra bounce.
With Will Pucovski yet to return to first-class cricket, Australia A would field a couple of openers untried at international level in Bryce Street and Henry Hunt with Usman Khawaja at first drop.
Verdict: honours even
Middle order
Joe Root is world class, Ben Stokes is a match-winner but sadly out of form while Jonny Bairstow has plenty of experience in international cricket.
The Aussie A middle order of Matt Renshaw, Nic Maddinson and Mitch Marsh are all in form but have been tried in the Test arena with limited success.
Verdict: England have the advantage here
Wicketkeeper
Jos Buttler has been a capable gloveman and decent contributor with the bat for several seasons but not this one.
With Tim Paine standing down from cricket, the next keeper in line for Australia is West Australian rising star Josh Inglis, who averaged 73 in the Sheffield Shield last season with three centuries.
Verdict: Slight advantage to England but that’s only because Paine’s absence means Australia’s now down to their third option
Spinner
Jack Leach has been in and out of the English Test team over the past couple of years, is not a big turner of the ball and is clearly not respected by the Australian batters, who don’t see him as a wicket-taking threat.
Mitch Swepson has been in and around the Australian squad the past couple of summers and if he doesn’t get his Test debut in the two upcoming Ashes dead rubbers, he is likely to feature on next year’s tours of the subcontinent.
Verdict: Honours even
Pace attack
England’s seamers have done a decent job in the Ashes, particularly Jimmy Anderson and Mark Wood but the problem is they haven’t always been picked. Throw in Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes or Ollie Robinson and they’ve got a more than capable trio.
Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland and Michael Neser have shown they’re up to Test level but they’ve got the misfortune of having Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood ahead of them in the pecking order.
Verdict: Advantage England but the gap is closing.
So even though Australia are putting the cleaners through England in the Ashes, it’s too much of a stretch to say the second XI would also be triumphant.
Australia’s bowling depth is sensational at the moment and they have prospects like Inglis, Street, Hunt and Swepson who could go on to star on the international stage.
However, the batting reinforcements are still relatively thin.
To put it in perspective, the top six which lined up for Australia A when they beat England to reach the final in the summer of 1994-95 was Matthew Hayden, Greg Blewett, Martyn, Michael Bevan, Justin Langer and a young Ricky Ponting at six.
Blewett and Bevan hit tons in the 29-run win over Mike Atherton’s England side filled with plenty of established stars like Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, Graham Thorpe and Graeme Hick.
If Australia A could field a batting line-up of that mid 90s quality they would probably wipe the floor with England too.
robertbrob13226
Roar Rookie
Novak. Tennis articles. Covid Great comment expert
Ace
Roar Rookie
I guess I'm saying that Abbot can handle himself fairly competently with bat and ball Type of gritty character England could have used
Micko
Roar Rookie
I don't follow T20, BBL etc, Ace. Mainly test cricket, and am quite anticipating the last day of this SA vs IND test; could go either way! :thumbup: :cricket:
Ace
Roar Rookie
Did you see Abbott's Man-Of The Match game last night Micko
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
So maybe switch Swepson in but no way they have 2 spinners
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I believe they do.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Each test is a test. I’ll leave it at that. :angry:
Mike
Guest
Simoc - it isn't meaningless drivel mate. This is a website for cricket tragics who like to speculate and write and read articles about "what if" situations. We enjoy comparing players between different eras and having opinions over who was the better. We enjoy reading pieces that toss up silly ideas and scenarios - as this article has. If you think it's drivel then why did you waste your time reading it, let alone commenting on it? Why don't leave us alone to enjoy what we choose to enjoy? I'd suggest that your comment was meaningless drivel coated with a thick dollop of hypocrisy!
Mike Badman
Guest
Simoc - I think you've missed the whole point here. The article actually brought to light that an Australia A team would struggle to beat this England team despite the Ashes hiding. I feel it actually isn't chest beating b/s at all. It is supporting that this England side isn't as bad as some chest beating Aussie fans might be thinking. I think it was a good article and brought to focus how good the teams need to be at the highest level. Personally, I'd rather have Inglis than Buttler as my keeper and Swepson over Leach. However, I think the Australia A batting order would struggle against the Australian test attack much the same as the England team have. I tend to think that Richardson and Boland are definitely better than Woakes and Robinson. Woakes is rubbish in Australia. I feel Robinson has been overrated. He lacks fitness, strength and stamina. His pace drops severely when into his second spell, and he seems to regularly pull up lame when into his third spell of the day. Broad and Anderson have always struggled in Australia. I feel like Anderson has probably already done his dash on this tour. Can't see him having the legs or commitment to have a big effect in Sydney. Broad - a bit the same but maybe not. Poor old Wood - so much on his shoulders with Stokes having to bowl more than an allrounder should. So, in summary, I feel it was a valid article that came to a reasonable conclusion. I feel in a one off test, in Australia, England would definitely have the edge. Over a five test series, I think Australia A may have a chance as the stamina of the English pace attack may be found wanting and the lack of a penetrative spinner could become a factor. Against Australia A, Joe Root would score heavily, Stokes would do better, Malan as well. Pope would probably fare Ok, as would Buttler. I think the English openers would still struggle as they've shown no real ability to adapt to the bigger bounce here. In England, Australia A would get trounced! Not a contest.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Do tests 4 and 5 count for WTC points? They won't risk those
Mike
Guest
With all your concerns about the world's issues how on earth did you find time to read...and comment, on this article? You must be a brilliant person. Thanks so much for pointing out to me that I'm a lowbrow, non-caring person for spending a bit of time reading a frivolous cricket article. How the world would be so much better if we were all like you.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
I think batting is the big question mark over an Australia A team. I think we have England covered in bowling, both spin and pace. I'd argue Inglis is a better keeper than Buttler, and may end up a better batter (its not hard compared to the Buttler of this series).
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Rather than the 5-0 hype, let's rest Lyon and blood a couple of spinners just to give us an idea of how we might go in 2022 on the sub-continent? 3-1 for this Ashes is fine by me if we win in India and then England 2023. 5-0 is far from ok if we are once again found wanting on most fronts in those aforementioned countries.
Nathan Cirson
Roar Pro
Australia’s bowling depth has been showcased in this series but still question marks over the batters. The fact that a lot of options have been tested without nailing down their spots means there is little pressure on any of the top 5 if their form drops. There’s also a lot to do with the conditions. Completely different in England with the Duke ball.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
That was my thought when I saw the headline but the article itself did a reasonable analysis of our second-tier players and was interesting for that purpose. I also enjoyed the history of Australia A teams. I think you need to give the author more credit - it wasn't the "meaningless drivel" that an "our B team can beat your A team" would have been
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
With all the troubles in the world, I really don't need to see questions completed with a full stop (and a gap). It simply piles on and means I probably can't get out of bed today
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I'd love to watch him bowl at test batsmen to confirm that view. Not saying you're wrong. With the sub-continental tours scheduled for 2022, perhaps we should be looking at two spinners in Sydney or resting Lyon?
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Keep in mind it was those guys before they became great players. It reflects a great pipeline though. Think too about the guys who weren't regulars in our test team over the 90's/00's - Siddon, Hussey D, Law, Blewett, Lehman, Hodge, Elliot, Maher, etc
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Did you visit the site to see who wasn’t sufficiently focused on the world’s troubles? I wonder when it was in human history that nothing bad was happening and it was okay to discuss sport topics. Perhaps 2001?
nics
Roar Rookie
To be fair, Australia got beaten by a quasi- India A in Brisbane recently so the premise of the article is hilarious.