Radical options to replace Warner in Ashes selection conundrum
David Warner could well be dropped after a string of more failures, and the Australian selectors have a serious headache brewing.
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Australia are on the precipice of a historic first overseas Ashes victory since the turn of the century, but after a bounce-back English win in the third Test at Headingley, has a number of selection quandaries to ponder if it is to retain the urn at Old Trafford.
David Warner’s now-routine English failures continue to haunt him, with two single-digit scores in Leeds, caught Crawley bowled Broad in both innings, highlighting the headache Australian selectors have if they are to play the best team possible for the remainder of the series.
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After the re-emergence of Mitchell Marsh as a batting option for the Australians, who added to his two Test centuries (both against England) with a brutal 118 in the third Test, and the impending return of his Cameron Green to the side, George Bailey and co are presented with a choice between their stalwart opener in a wretched run of form or their new, shiny, trendy toy in Mitchell Marsh.
Former Australian Test captain Michael Clarke called time on Warner’s position at the top of the order given his established technical and mental woes against Stuart Broad from around the wicket, saying on radio that the Australians have got “options”, pointing to Marsh, Head or even Marnus Labuschagne, who himself has struggled in England so far.
“Tell me what must they do now,” Clarke said on Sky Sports Cricket.
“The No. 1 issue is you are sticking with Warner, giving him every opportunity, and Broad’s still got his number. Is it time? If it’s time, I wouldn’t even be worried about who opens the batting because you’ve got options.
“I reckon Mitch Marsh is in fine form. If he had to do it, he could do it.
“Alex Carey probably won’t because he’s got to keep, but Travis Head could do it. Marnus Labuschagne isn’t making as many runs as he should at number three. He could open, Smithy could go to number 3, and Head to number four.”
With Warner’s last eight Ashes Tests in England seeing him average 14.75 with his highest score coming at Lord’s in a critical 66, he now holds the unenviable record of being the third-worst Test cricket bunny of all time, with Broad having dismissed him 17 times.
While Australia may (and have done so previously) win without Warner firing at the top of the order, pundits and the public alike have not been blind to the pressure those failures place on his teammates.
Australia’s lack of truly world-class specialist opening options presents a fascinating headache for selectors, and the first option lies within camp as Marcus Harris.
Harris has spent the entirety of his 14-match Test career as an opener, but averages only 25.29 with no centuries to his name despite the majority of those opportunities coming at home on familiar surfaces.
Harris has also struggled mightily in England at Test level, averaging 9.66 from three outings on the previous tour.
Despite this, he is a notably better player than he used to be, averaging 57 for Gloucestershire in the County Championship this season, second only to Marnus Labuschagne’s prolific stint for Glamorgan among Australians in the competition.
Despite this, remaining as part of the Ashes squad has meant Harris has not played a competitive match since mid-May, and the squad’s alternative batting option Matthew Renshaw has not done so since Australia A fixtures in April in New Zealand.
Renshaw’s Test averages only marginally outdo Harris’ middling returns, leaving the Australian selectors to look inward, with conjecture in the press variously raising Green, Marsh or Head as interim opening options.
Green and Marsh have opened for Australia in limited-overs formats, while Head filled in earlier this year for a concussed Warner in India.
However, the answer may lie in a former Queensland opener: Marnus Labuschagne.
The 29-year-old might have struggled for runs this series, but over his rapid ascent to the top of world cricket has proven he has the technique and temperament for the job, particularly given he has often had to come in against the brand new ball after early wickets.
Gerard Whateley said on SEN Warner’s struggles have exposed Labuschagne to the new ball far too early.
“Warner regressed to his old ways against Broad,” Whateley said.
“It’s not only the failures but the fact he’s out in the first over and the third over. This is the risk in the strategy Australia have taken and Labuschagne pays the price. He’s in too soon. “For all the talk that will happen about Warner, and it is justified, Australia is not getting nearly enough from Labuschagne in this series.
Labuschagne began his Shield career for Queensland as an opener alongside Joe Burns, making 83 on debut.
He continued as an opener until a successful shift down the order to first drop in 2016-17 saw him become the second-leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield with 795 runs at 39.75.
He has scored two centuries at the top of the order for Queensland, and three of his seven grade centuries for Redlands have come as an opener.
The new ball is not unfamiliar to Labuschagne, and unless Australia wish to omit a spinner entirely, he may present as the ideal interim opening option should the selectors decide to drop Warner.
Labuschagne has struggled so far this series with 144 runs at 24, having not passed fifty, and while his shot selection in the last innings left much to be desired from Australian fans, a shift in batting position may work for the right-hander.
Warner’s returns are by no means comparable to his horrid tour of 2019, and with the wickets in England significantly flatter to accommodate England’s swashbuckling new style under Brendon McCullum, he still shapes as the consensus pick to open the batting at Old Trafford.
With Australian selection in England typically risk-averse, it would be a significant departure for Warner to be dropped for the fourth Test.
The fourth Test gets underway at Old Trafford in Manchester on July 19 at 8pm AEST, with Australia leading the series 2-1.
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