Ashes tour 2019: Test skipper Tim Paine throws cold water on All-Aussie game as just selection shootout

Australian captain Tim Paine says the upcoming all-Australian tour game doesn’t necessarily define who will make the Ashes tour squad, but more of an opportunity to test each other in the English conditions.

Australian Test captain Tim Paine says the all-Australian tour game doesn’t necessarily define who will be in the Ashes tour squad.

Test captain Tim Paine wants an “intense” approach from every player when Australia plays Australia A next week but insists Ashes hopefuls won’t be judged on one match alone.

The seven tour games against English sides, including five 50 over matches, are over after the final clash against the English Lions finished with a draw in Canterbury.

Matthew Wade topped the run count, pounding 471 runs with three centuries in his six innings to push his claims, while Test vice-captain Travis Head was next with 421 runs.

In the battle of the openers, Marcus Harris made 205 runs, with a hundred and a fifty, in his four innings, while his rival Joe Burns got 133 of his 161 runs in one hit.

Middle-order hopeful, and incumbent Test number six Kurtis Patterson, didn’t pass 50 in any of his five innings.

Tim Paine plays a shot during the drawn match between England Lions and Australia A.

All of them are part of the 25-man squad to be divided in two for next week’s clash at Southampton, with the final Ashes squad to be announced as soon as the match finishes on Friday.

While selection chief Trevor Hohns flagged a 16-man squad, an extra player could be needed to ensure the right balance for a five Test series.

Paine said he didn’t know what that number would be, but suggested the selectors had a pretty good idea of what the best team looks like.

“I don’t think the game will be an out and out trial game, and that everyone’s on red alert,” he said after the drawn game.

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Matthew Wade is still an outside chance of taking part in the all-Australian tour game.

“We know potentially what the make-up of our team looks like, but we want to make sure we’ve got all bases covered and next week is another opportunity just to make sure we’ve got a squad that ticks all boxes for all conditions.”

But Paine said players would be told to bring their best for the final Australian warm-up game before the first Test begins in Birmingham on August 1.

“We think it’s going to be really, really intense. That’s what we’re after,” Paine said.

“Sometimes touring teams can have tour games that peter out into pretty ordinary games of cricket at times.

“We’ve got guys playing for Ashes spots so we expect it to be of an extremely high, competitive intensity.”