Ashes 2023: Matthew Hayden, Michael Kasprowicz, Greg Blewett and Trent Copeland give their views on Aussie selection
Is David Warner finished? Can Australia afford to drop Mitchell Marsh? And what other changes should selectors make? Some of Australia’s Ashes greats weigh in on our expert roundtable.
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The Ashes are on the line heading into the Old Trafford Test, with Australia taking a 2-1 series lead heading into the fourth rubber.
We’ve gauged the views of former stars Matthew Hayden, Michael Kasprowicz, Greg Blewett and Trent Copeland about the key issues for the Aussies as they seek to win an away Ashes series for the first time in 22 years.
Let’s start at the top. Should David Warner keep his spot for the fourth Test after twin failures in Leeds and can he hang on until his designated retirement date at the SCG in January?
Hayden: I think from a selection point of view if you cannot see someone batting as an opener long term I don’t think the Ashes is the place to select that sort of character. We have set our stall for the Ashes. We stick to our guns. I have seen good things from him. That 66 he got at Lord‘s was a great innings in shitty circumstances. It’s worth remembering that Australia has not had the best of the batting conditions. His last Test was his worst and his dramas were amplified because his double failure to Stuart Broad reinforced the hold of his nemesis. But he has done OK. The opening partnership has not been perfect but they have set some platforms. Who else are you going to pick? The selectors may look at home series against Pakistan and the West Indies and decide it is as good a time as any to blood someone with a view the getting ready for the Border-Gaskaskar Trophy against India in 2024. The same thing happened to me and Davey. He took my place in the Test team and it was good because he was ready to do it. Not that Davey would be saying that it would but I don’t think it (Warner’s intention to play until Sydney) should dominate the path Australia go down. And I would be very surprised if the selectors were influenced by it anyway.
Kasprowicz: It‘s a tough one isn’t it obviously, Warner’s record and with 8000 Test runs and what he what he has done and all that and what he’s you know he’s capable of. You want great players to go on their terms. Not being a selector I don’t have to worry about that. But if I listen to my mother she doesn’t think he should (be picked).
Copeland: Inevitably they’re talking about David Warner, and do they make a change? I think to this point, they haven’t needed to because they’ve been winning. I think they’ve got a decision to make because Marnus (Labuschagne), (Steve) Smith, (Travis) Head I think is the most high-functioning middle order in world cricket right now. And then it shows on the World Test rankings. But honestly, I know Travis did a really good job in India. I think that was a very specific moment in time where he may well do that in future in the subcontinent. I think he could do it in Australia. But what those three are doing is our crux in our engine room. I wouldn’t be changing that.
So if a change is made at the top of the order, I’d be saying, ‘you know what, Mitch (Marsh), much like Usman (Khawaja) did when he came in for Trav (in early 2022) with Covid and did really well and we couldn’t leave him out. He was the one that had to shift up the top of the order and make do.’ Now’s the time to have that as your role. I say that is definitely being in the realms of possibility to afford Cameron Green coming back. And the other is Marcus Harris. You may be not have excelled in the Test arena so far but you’ve gone away, churned out runs in County cricket. A lot of people think that you’re not up to it but at the end of the day, you’ve been the best batter in domestic cricket. You’ve done it in County, this is your chance. OK, you’ve got an opportunity now to help us win a massive series maybe the biggest Test series ever. And then at least Australia know at the end of the series, he is the man to move forward with or he is not. And add some clarity as opposed to him being the spare batter on tour every time.
Blewett: I‘ve been quite vocal with this, like, I wouldn’t have picked David on the tour. His statistics over the last three years, especially overseas have been not great. So he wouldn’t have been in my squad, but now that he’s there, yeah. I don’t know whether I’d be making a change to be honest. I think if Australia had won that (Leeds) Test match, and gone 3-0 and you know, the series was done and dusted, I reckon they would have definitely said, ‘Right. OK. Davey, thanks, mate for your services.’ And then, you know, maybe gone with someone else, but I just don’t know whether this is the Test match to do it. I really don’t.
With Mitch Marsh starring at Headingley and Cameron Green expected to be available, is there room in the Aussie XI for both all-rounders?
Kasprowicz:You could (play both of them), because Mitch bats at four for Western Australia.
Copeland: What a great story Mitch Marsh. Taking the piss before Test one, marking his run-up. Inevitably, when anyone asks “who is the person you enjoy being around on tour the most?” Mitch Marsh’s name is the one that comes up. That throws a real spanner in the contest, but what an asset that not only now but in the subcontinent, even at home, if we‘ve got bowlers that are slightly underdone, or if we’ve got a batter that’s struggling, we can play two all-rounders and know that they’re both up to it.
Blewett: I personally wouldn’t I reckon. I think the only way you’d do that is if you roll everyone up one (spot in the batting order).
Todd Murphy bowled less than 10 overs in Leeds. Does Pat Cummins trust him and will he keep his spot?
Blewett: Do they need to play the off-spinner? Everyone’s saying, well, because of over rates you have to but I mean, is there a way around that? I mean, why should you be playing someone just because of over rates. Murphy’s going to be great for the Australian cricket team going forward, but the Ashes is on the line. So you’ve got to do whatever you’ve got to do to be able to win this next Test match.
Copeland: We haven’t not picked a spinner for 118 Test matches so I don’t see Todd Murphy being left out either. The interesting one for me is, I guess, just a tactical approach to when Ben Stokes is going to town. And if there’s no confidence, regardless of the surface to bowl, Todd, or Nathan Lyon in that situation, then it has to become a discussion, you know, how can we get the best out of a person we’re picking to help us take 20 wickets.
Old Trafford traditionally spins more. I’m that confident to say to you that he is as good as Nathan Lyon was when he started his Test career. And I think he’s got all of that in front of him. So there’s no doubt on his skill or his ability. As a rationale point for dealing with Ben Stokes coming at you, (Murphy is) as equipped as anyone as a finger spinner to deal with that.”
What about the quicks? Is it as simple as Josh Hazlewood in for Scott Boland?
Kasprowicz: I‘d love to see Michael Neser. Swinging the ball as well. He’s done so well. He sort of reminds me a lot of Chris Woakes. Swings it, good pace, and can bat as well. I do like that, and that’s what he can bring.
Blewett: Is there room for Neser as well? Can you play the four quicks, Carey at number seven and leave Green out. You know that that’s probably the way I’d be leaning.
And speaking of the quicks, what are your thought on the Aussies’ bowling tactics?
Copeland: They‘ve actually caught some flack since ball one of the series for having a deep point and how they’ve gone about it, particularly in commentary, and even from the opposition, and then England too have copped plenty of criticism around being reckless at times.
A bit of a longer-term one to finish, who is Cummins’ heir apparent as Test captain, and who should fill Australia’s Twenty20 captaincy void?
Blewett: In terms of the Test team, I’d be looking at someone like Travis Head or a Marnus Labuschagne. (For T20), if he‘s fit, I’m a big fan of Mitch Marsh. White-ball cricket I reckon he’d be a great captain.
Copeland: Pat is a really humble guy (so take talk of him not going on that much longer with a grain of salt.) This guy is the third person in the change room that people gravitate towards. When he speaks, they listen, they come, they go on a journey they buy in. I actually think there‘s quite a few candidates, and then you throw down the line a little bit if Pat does this for four or five years. Just put an arbitrary number on it. Yeah. I think there’s actually quite a few candidates that could do it. I guess. Alex Carey’s the obvious choice. I think he’s done a really good job in leadership roles since he literally came into the team. Trav’s done really well for South Australia. But you know, you wonder with certain people does it affect them being the best player in the world? Which arguably Trav is. In a T20 environment, a name I’m gonna bring to you which is topical right at the moment is Mitch Marsh. Of course, nature of his body, maybe letting him down a few times, there’s a chance that there’s games that he misses. But ultimately, I think he’s arguably our best player in the format.
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