Aussie batting woes against Windies could force Ashes selection shock as familiar trio surge into contention
Teenager Sam Konstas is struggling to find his way in Test cricket and a former Australian skipper says the fringe openers who have spent several years on the periphery will never have a better opportunity to stake their case.
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Just when they thought it might have been all over, Marcus Harris, Cam Bancroft and Matt Renshaw have surged into contention for an Ashes SOS as Australia’s opening stocks dip to crisis point.
It is believed no matter what happens in the last Test in the West Indies in Jamaica, Usman Khawaja will start the Ashes series but if the similarly out-of-form Sam Konstas fails badly again and does not start the Sheffield Shield well he will be dropped for the Ashes.
Former Test skipper Kim Hughes declared Australia’s fringe openers who have spent several years on the agonising periphery of Test selection will never have a better opportunity to stake their case than in the opening Sheffield Shield games before the first Test in Perth.
“I like Konstas and think he has a big future but you don’t make teams just because you are promising,’’ Hughes said.
“You can get it back but a lot of them would not know how to play off the back foot. Beau Webster does and that’s one of the reasons why he is doing so well.’’
“One, two and three is the hardest place to bat and when you are out of form in those spots it can be the loneliest place in the world.
“When your confidence goes, some guys push, other guys nick. Their feet stop working. You can see that here. Those early Shield games will be exciting. The incumbents will be trying to nail it and the others have the chance to force their way in.’’
Harris and Bancroft have been quietly building a case for a recall by averaging 63 for Lancashire and 50 for Gloucestershire respectively in division two of the English county championship this season while Renshaw made 80 off 84 balls against Australia A against Sri Lanka A in Darwin on Friday to raise suspicions at least one Test career will be raised from the dead next summer.
That the Australian selectors made Renshaw captain for that series showed they have not given up on him returning to Test cricket even though he has played just two Tests in seven years.
Former Test opener Greg Blewett, commentating on ESPN, senses Konstas’ humbling second innings dismissal overnight, when he inside edged an airy cut shot onto his stumps, spotlighted the fact he may have balance issues.
“With that dismissal, his feet aren’t planted and he’s throwing his hands at the ball,’’ Blewett said.
“There’s been a couple of times even when he hasn’t got out he’s played his shot and then his feet have moved again which indicates he’s not quite balanced. That’s not ideal.’’
Australian great Jason Gillespie – in the Caribbean with a tour group – said on Instagram that Khawaja had erred in reviewing his conspicuous lbw dismissal, and that Konstas’ technical issues were increasingly becoming a worry.
“If you’re a top order player, top three player, decision, review system, unless you are certain that you’ve got a scratch on it, you just walk,” Gillespie said.
“ (Konstas) played some very loose shots, hands away from his body a lot, that’s a bit of a concern for the Australian coach and selectors.”
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Originally published as Aussie batting woes against Windies could force Ashes selection shock as familiar trio surge into contention
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