Selectors to test combination of sandpaper culprits Dave Warner and Cam Bancroft

The fractious relationship between Cameron Bancroft, David Warner and Steve Smith is set to be tested with the trio to play their first match together since the dramatic Test in Cape Town last year.

David Warner will come face-to-face with Cameron Bancroft in Southampton on Thursday as Australia considers reuniting the sandpaper culprits at the top of the batting order for the Ashes.

But Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have failed in their bids to play themselves into Ashes contention through the World Cup, with the all-rounders left out of the 25-man squad for the Australia versus Australia A audition.

Happier times: David Warner and Cameron Bancroft celebrate with the Ashes Urn in the change rooms after the Fifth Test of the 2017/18 Ashes Series. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Bancroft publicly pinned Warner as the sandpaper architect in an explosive interview last December.

“Dave suggested to me to carry the action out on the ball given the situation we were in the game,” Bancroft said.

Aussie legend Ricky Ponting slammed that interview, while former Test opener Michael Slater questioned if their relationship was repairable.

Bancroft has been in sparkling form as captain of Durham, scoring 1075 runs at 57 in first-class and one-day cricket.

Marcus Stoinis has been left out of the Ashes audition squad. Picture: AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi

Glenn Maxwell’s erratic World Cup form saw him omitted from the Ashes Test squad. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP

He has made 158, 5, 77, 92 not-out, 36 and 109 in his past three first-class matches as he looks to leapfrog incumbent Test openers Marcus Harris and Joe Burns.

“Cameron was making a fair amount of headway when he played Test cricket last for Australia and that was in South Africa,” selector Trevor Hohns said.

“It’s been well-documented that he was our leading run-scorer in South Africa. He’s got on with business since he’s been able to play again, he’s playing with Durham in the County Championship.”

Originally published as Selectors to test combination of sandpaper culprits Dave Warner and Cam Bancroft