Key questions from Australia’s series win over New Zealand
Joe Burns started the summer with a bang after he was recalled to the Australian Test side but by the end there were questions about his spot after an inconsistent series against New Zealand.
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Following Australia’s 3-0 series sweep against New Zealands, Russell Gould answers the key questions looking ahead to the tour of Bangladesh later in the year.
WERE JOE BURNS’ 155 RUNS IN THREE TESTS AGAINST THE KIWIS ENOUGH?
The Queenslander was given the entire summer to bed down his spot at the top of the order with David Warner and started with a bang, scoring 97 in the first Test against Pakistan.
The runs dried up from there and, with just one half-century in six innings against the Kiwis, he left the door open for questions.
But as a duo, Burns and Warner have averaged 68.4 as an opening pair this summer.
That’s a statement, as was the one from Justin Langer when he said one of the goals for his team this summer was to lock down the top three.
“And we’ve done that”, the coach said.
So the answer has to be a yes.
ARE ANY TEST SPOTS UP FOR GRABS?
In short, no. Between them skipper Tim Paine and Langer mentioned “continuity’’ and “consistency’’ quite a few times in the wash-up of a summer dominated by a Test side that changed only once — because of an injury to fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, a walk-up when fit.
The only debate around selection becomes condition-based. The next tour is to Bangladesh, so conditions could dictate some inclusions.
But Langer pointed out star batsman Marnus Labuschagne bowls leg-spin, MCG century-maker Travis Head bowls off-spin, and it would hard to leave out any of the quicks.
So good luck, Test aspirants, you could be waiting a while for your baggy green.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN STEVE SMITH’S LEADERSHIP BAN ENDS IN MARCH?
Plenty will want to pose the question about Smith taking over the captaincy from Paine, but it will be like screaming at a cloud.
Asked on Monday his highlight of the Test summer — which included a Warner triple century, 896 runs from Labuschagne and wickets galore from his fast bowlers, Langer was emphatic.
“Tim Paine’s captaincy,” he said.
“I think Painey’s leadership, strategically and tactically … the way he kept, a few of his innings, I thought he was brilliant this summer.”
Paine is locked in as Test captain until he doesn’t want the job.