All eyes are on Steve Smith as the former Australia skipper looks to lock down a place in the T20 World Cup squad with impressive performances on the tour of New Zealand.
The trans-Tasman rivals play game one of a three-T20 series in Wellington on Wednesday night, with the first ball at 5.10pm AEDT.
A bumper crowd is expected in the Kiwi capital with more than 20,000 tickets sold at the 33,000-capacity venue.
The series is Australia’s last bilateral before June’s WT20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA, and the last chance for World Cup hopefuls to impress in an Australian shirt.
Smith is in the gun after comments from current T20 captain Mitch Marsh that the top three of the batting order is effectively locked down, with Travis Head and David Warner as openers and himself at first drop.
“I think our top order’s pretty set moving forward,” he said.
Smith, 34, is one of the modern greats and has gone to the last three tournaments, including the victorious 2021 campaign.
But his recent T20 form for Australia has been far from convincing with eight single-digit scores in the past 15 matches – a 52 against India last November his only half-century in the last 25 outings.
Conventional wisdom would suggest Smith cannot compete with the power-hitting middle-order options like Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis, meaning he could find himself in a shootout with fellow top-order option Matt Short.
However, batting orders are flexible and this series will see rotation as selectors get a glimpse of what they want to see.
“I don’t think everyone’s gonna play all three games throughout this series so certain guys will bat in certain places,” Marsh said.
It may be worth prioritising Short and Smith in New Zealand given both went unsold at the Indian Premier League auction.
With the ball, Nathan Ellis will get the chance to press World Cup claims after recovering from a rib injury as will fellow quick Spencer Johnson, called up for the injured Stoinis.
Frodo
Roar Rookie
If Inglis doesn't open he's not in my team. Wade keeps and bats at 7. Wade is a noted and experienced finisher if required.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Reckon we'll have to agree to disagree about that Don.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
If he can do that regularly, yes, keep him.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Pretty good XI! Spencer Johnson really could come into the mix. He offers something different to the Cummins/Starc/Hoff axis. Ellis too. IMO Behrendorff has had his day. I wouldn't see him in our best 15 imho. If Short plays, he really needs to be up top. Not sure why he keeps on playing in the middle order.
jammel
Roar Rookie
I think Inglis can bat anywhere really. If Short is in for inglis, who's the wk and where do they bat?
jammel
Roar Rookie
Disagree! Did you see David last night? Wow. TDavid is now a lock.
zeus_kris
Roar Rookie
1) Warner 2) Head 3) Marsh 4) Maxwell 5) Stoinins 6) David or Short 7) Wade or Inglis 8) Cummins or Abbott 9) Starc 10) Zampa 11) Johnson or Berhendorff or Hazlewood
zeus_kris
Roar Rookie
Smith is never a T20 batter. He underperformed regularly in IPL and is not even selected for IPL 2024. He only played one match in 2022 T20 WC. Australia can do better. Short can be in squad as replacement batter.
Frodo
Roar Rookie
Can't have Inglis in the middle order either. Matt Short instead.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Have you noticed how they have performed over the past 4 years? And I left out Richardson, Morris and Turner because of injury, plus Green because he hasn't been playing BBL. Do you have a reason why that 5 should not be picked?
Sportstragic
Roar Rookie
Only 5 players from WA in your team??? You need to try a bit harder :happy:
Ace
Roar Rookie
My error. I thought you were referring to this tour of NZ
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Head could make way. He'd play the Tim David role at #6 so much better.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Cummins, Smith and Wade? Why?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
They're not "hit and miss" until they either hit or miss. Form players should be given a go. None of Stoinis, David, Smith, Labuschagne, Frazer-McGurk has earned a go like these boys have.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Matt Short certainly unlucky. He needs to bat up top if he is in the 15.
jammel
Roar Rookie
My 15 man squad: Warner Head MMarsh(C) Maxwell Green David Inglis+ Cummins Starc Zampa Hazlewood (Smith Wade+ Agar Ellis)
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You had to have been watching a different comp. It was a terrific standard.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Of these, Green's the only one who's a dead set lock to play in our ODI national team. The rest are hit & miss at best. Not to say they can't improve but right now they're not close to being good enough to regularly fill a spot.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Dunno. If you're right and the BBL is the second best domestic competition, it doesn't say much for these others because the BBL's pretty ordinary