Chief selector George Bailey has unveiled the fifteen-man squad Australia will be taking into the five-match Ashes clash against England this summer, and it gives us a clearer picture of who may open in Perth at the end of this month.
The big news: Young gun and incumbent opener Sam Konstas has been axed for the series’ first match after failing to impress Australia’s selectors in the months since he had a dismal series in the West Indies.
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The man most likely to take his place in the starting XI is Jake Weatherald, who has been picked as a batter in the extended squad. The 31-year-old beat out veteran Matt Renshaw (who was Usman Khawaja’s pick to play alongside) after dishing up 248 runs at an average of 41.33 from his six innings in the Sheffield Shield’s opening rounds.
Here’s the full fifteen-man roster:
- Sean Abbott
- Scott Boland
- Alex Carey
- Brendan Doggett
- Cameron Green
- Josh Hazlewood
- Travis Head
- Josh Inglis
- Usman Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Nathan Lyon
- Steve Smith (c)
- Mitchell Starc
- Jake Weatherald
- Beau Webster
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Should Weatherald make the cut in the eleven, it would see Australia open the order with a left-hand/right-hand combination, at least when they march out at Optus Stadium for the first Test in November. Whomever makes the top two (Ussie is locked) will likely be followed by the returning Marnus Labuschagne, then step-in skipper Steve Smith.
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The bowling is a whole lot more certain, with captain Pat Cummins definitely missing Perth. Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott were named in the squad, but The Sporting Base would be flabbergasted if coach Andrew McDonald and the Aussie selectors bring any attack that isn’t Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon into the first Ashes battle.
Another big question floats around Cameron Green: He faces a battle with the versatile Beau Webster to take the all-rounder spot, and may be second-run in that, considering he’s been managing a stress fracture in his back just recently.
Green could stay at three with Marnus opening as another option. In that case, Weatherald would miss out.
