Australia have been searching, Jake Weatherald is the man deserving
Australia have been searching for a second opener in their Test lineup - Jake Weatherald isn’t just knocking at the door, he has booted it down. Now he is on the cusp of making an Ashes debut, find out why the Australian selectors need to pick him
It has been clear for some time Australia has been hoping someone could lock away the second Test opener spot alongside Usman Khawaja.
And maybe even take the Queenslander’s place.
That man is Jake Weatherald.
The Tasmanian opener needs to play in the first Ashes Test in Perth later this month and it’s clear why.
Opening the batting is arguably the hardest mental challenge in cricket, whether it be red ball or white ball.
In recent years, Australia has tried Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and youngster Sam Konstas who has been dropped for the first game against England.
All three failed to lock down their place, except for one innings of Smith when he was not out 91 against a West Indies attack in a game Australia lost at the Gabba.
Weatherald has opened from the moment he could walk, from those early days in Darwin, growing up he opened, in his teens, he opened, in his 20s, he opened and now in his 30s, he continues to open.
The man is mentally prepared to face the first delivery, to make sure he does more than just see off the new ball but make runs and do a job for whatever team he plays for.
If he is selected to debut, it gives Khawaja the freedom to just play his way, similar to the way David Warner and he complimented each other.
Weatherald is a more attacking bat, while Uzzie has the temperament to take his time and wait for his opportunity.
In a way, Weatherald’s career could be similar to Michael Hussey, if everything was to go to plan.
Hussey didn’t debut for Australia in the Test arena until he was 30, that was 20 years ago now and we can all remember just how good Hussey was.
You can’t deny how good Labuschagne has been this domestic season already, but why would you take a man who has rediscovered his best again at number three and move him to the top of the order.
On the other side of the debate, if successful, Weatherald could lock down one of the two top order places and leave headaches with one less headache when Khawaja does eventually call time.
After scoring the most runs in the Sheffield Shield last season, it’s pretty clear to the average fan Weatherald deserves his shot.
Let’s hope selectors believe that as well.
The internal war which steeled our next Aussie debutant
From a courageously-public mental health battle to potential Ashes Test opener for Australia – Jake Weatherald’s “pinch me” moment has finally come.
Following his selection in the Ashes squad for the first Test in Perth later this month, the 31-year-old Tasmanian Tigers opener has been touted as Usman Khawaja’s new opening partner.
And if that moment comes, who faces the first ball?
“We might have to do a bat toss to decide that,” Weatherald said.
Khawaja praised his potential new partner in Australia’s quest to retain the urn against England telling Fox Cricket in Thursday, the Tasmanian had been “knocking the door down”.
“I’m pretty excited to have the backing of someone like that, who has played so much Test cricket and made so many hundreds for Australia and is such a respected cricketer,” Weatherald said.
“I’d be really excited to partner up with him at some point. If I get that opportunity, it would great.
“But at the same time just being in that group is amazing.”
A prolific scorer for Tasmania, Weatherald feared his shot at the top might have passed him by until the phone call from Australia’s chief selector George Bailey.
“It is definitely a pinch me moment,” Weatherald said.
“As a kid in Australia you grow up wanting to play professional sport and representing Australia in cricket is the highest honour in sport in Australia.
“It’s something I have aspired to my whole career, to be a part of it.
“It probably won’t sink in until I get to Perth and I’m walking around with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja and rubbing shoulders with those sort of guys.
“I think it will be a pretty amazing moment.”
Weatherald found out he had made the cut while having coffee with a mate.
“In this day and age, if it’s an unknown number you just don’t pick it up – thankfully I had George’s number in my phone so I knew to take the call,” he said.
Weatherald has revealed how he sank so low during the dark days with his mental health battles in 2022 that he didn’t leave his house for a month.
Now in Australia’s 15-man Ashes squad with the potential of a Baggy Green Cap in a few weeks, the prolific left-hander is pondering what might be about to come.
“It’s a strange feeling because you don’t know what it’s like to pay Test cricket,” he said.
“I’ve put in a lot of work to become consistent in first class cricket and find a way or a method that works.
“I think now it’s about doubling down on that and backing that in, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out – I’m happy with that.
“I know I’ll be trying my absolute best when I walk out there to bat to do what I think is right at the time.
“I’m just going to try to repeat that [his batting methodology] in Test cricket.”
Originally published as Australia have been searching, Jake Weatherald is the man deserving
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