Ex-skipper Aaron Finch’s Ashes warning for Aussie selectors as injuries wreak havoc with squad
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has urged national selectors not to be spooked into picking a top six to cover for potential shortcomings in its heavily depleted pace attack.
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has urged national selectors not to be spooked into picking a top six to cover for potential shortcomings in its heavily depleted pace attack.
The balance of Australia’s Test squad, including injured captain Pat Cummins, jetted into Perth on Sunday before the Aussies ramp up preparations for Ashes opener with a training session at Optus Stadium on Monday, four days out from the start of the series.
The group of arrivals included paceman Brendan Doggett, who is poised to receive a baggy green on Friday after secondary scan results ruled Josh Hazlewood out of the first Test with a hamstring injury.
With Cummins already missing the match as he rehabilitates his back, the Aussies are stretching two rungs into their pace depth chart, with Doggett likely to join fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, and spinner Nathan Lyon, in the Aussie attack for the first Test.
Doggett is not the only prospective debutant, with opener Jake Weatherald in major consideration to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.
With Cameron Green having bowled 16 overs for Western Australia during the Sheffield Shield during the week, he appears primed to play as a bona fide all-rounder, likely nudging Beau Webster from the XI should selectors opt to pick Weatherald and return Marnus Labuschagne to his preferred position at No.3.
But the glaring absences from the frontline pace battery, combined with the fact that Green has not bowled in Test cricket for more than 18 months, have given fuel to the notion that Australia should pick both Green and Webster in the XI for Perth, moving Labuschagne back to the top of the order and forcing Weatherald to bide his time.
However World Cup winning captain Finch, who will commentate for Channel 7 during the Ashes, said the panel of George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and Andrew McDonald should not be swayed by any concerns about needing to reinforce their bowling stocks because of the Hazlewood blow.
“I think you still have to pick the best top six,” Finch told Code Sports.
But Finch provided a caveat that if there were any queries about Green’s fitness, then Webster – who has made four half-centuries in seven Tests this year – should keep his spot.
“If there’s any concerns (about) how Cam Green pulls up from his latest outing with the ball in Shield cricket, think that if there’s any concerns there, then they probably have to go with Webster.”
Finch played five Tests as an opener at the start of Justin Langer’s tenure as Australian coach. That coincided with Doggett’s first call-up to the Test squad for a tour of the UAE in late 2018.
At the stage, Doggett was a raw young speedster from Queensland. More than seven years later, he is a 31-year-old on the verge of a Test debut. Finch said Doggett – who has thrived in domestic cricket after a move to South Australia – had what it took to succeed at the top level.
“I’s important that you’re picking guys at the top of their game, and he certainly is at the moment,” Finch said.
“He’s someone who has always had the ability to bowl fast and move the ball and knock people over, but he’s just doing that consistently now, which is a great sign, and I don’t think that he would have any issue jumping into Test cricket if given the opportunity.
“He’s quick, he can pitch it up and move the ball and on the wickets for the first couple of Tests, in particular, Perth and the Gabba, everyone always talks about following that fraction fuller than what’s the natural length for most fast bowlers, particularly tall ones, I think that (can do that) perfectly.”
Originally published as Ex-skipper Aaron Finch’s Ashes warning for Aussie selectors as injuries wreak havoc with squad
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