Mark Waugh predicts an Ashes shock and talks possible returns for banned Aussie stars

Test great and former selector Mark Waugh sees an Ashes shock coming but first the Aussies will have to confront an “awkward” truth.

Cameron Bancroft was almost the forgotten man of Australia’s banned cricketing trio for a while as Steve Smith and David Warner dominated the discussion, but the 26-year-old’s run glut has ensured his name is back up in lights.

And after just one Sheffield Shield game into his comeback from a nine-month suspension for his role in the ball tampering affair, Mark Waugh believes he has given himself a shot at redemption by being selected on this year’s Ashes tour — but it will come with an awkward caveat.

Bancroft played some handy innings for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash before returning to four-day cricket with a bang. He carried his bat in scoring an unbeaten 138 for Western Australia against NSW in the first innings at Bankstown Oval then almost did it again in the second dig before he was stumped for 86 in the Warriors’ loss.

All up, he faced 621 balls in the match, showing he has the temperament to bat long — a trait Aussie cricket is desperate for after some dismal batting performances of late.

Waugh believes Smith and Warner are automatic selections against England provided they recover from their respective elbow injuries, and now the Aussie cricket legend and former selector reckons Bancroft has jumped into consideration along with incumbent Test openers Marcus Harris and Joe Burns.

“Warner and Smith, if they’re fit, they’re going to come straight back in,” Waugh said.

“You’ve got Burns and Harris, who played the last Test against Sri Lanka, and then you’ve got Cameron Bancroft who was of course on the outer with Smith and Warner.

“One of those three will miss out. The last three or four rounds of Shield cricket will determine that.

“Bancroft’s just come off a big hundred, Harris just scored 170-odd as well, Burns made runs for Queensland.

“It’s actually a good position to be in. I think we’re going to have a surplus of good players.”

There are interesting times ahead for Australia’s banned cricketers.

However, the reintroduction of Warner and possibly Bancroft into the Test team would require them to play alongside teammates whose reputations were also affected by the cheating scandal in South Africa. Waugh believes that may bring some “awkward” moments with it but backed coach Justin Langer to ensure everyone is on the same page.

“The running between wickets will be interesting, won’t it?” Waugh joked when asked about the possibility of Bancroft and Warner playing on the same team again.

“I think Justin Langer as coach will say to the guys, ‘What’s happened has happened, we start a fresh slate’.

“That’s what you’ve got to do. You can’t have bickering between players on a tour — that’s the first thing that will drag a team down.

“I don’t think that will happen, (but) it’s going to be a bit awkward on occasions.”

Bancroft gave an interview that aired on Boxing Day last year where he outed Warner for asking him to tamper with the ball in Cape Town. It’s led to speculation the two may be on shaky ground should they one day reunite at the top of the order, while there have also been whispers some Australian players are still angry at Warner for what he did.

Some accused Bancroft of throwing Warner under the bus with his TV interview but the West Australian maintains he and his former opening partner remain on good terms.

“I’ve spoken to Dave,” Bancroft told ABC Grandstand on the weekend.

“All of us, including Dave, have all been really challenged through this period of time. And I know that all three of us have really stuck by each other and looked after each other well.

“You can’t understand the trauma that I felt. It was probably very different to the trauma that he felt and I probably can’t understand that. I guess moving forward there will be great lessons for all of us, including Dave.”

But before there’s any talk of the band getting back together, Bancroft will need to outscore Burns and Harris in the remaining Shield matches. Burns took his opportunity against Sri Lanka, celebrating his Test recall with a sparkling 180 in Canberra and has hit the ground running in domestic cricket, scoring 60 and 80 against Victoria.

Harris was solid against India without reaching triple figures before floundering against the Sri Lankans. But he played the best knock of this Shield round, smashing 174 off just 197 balls to spearhead Victoria’s successful final-day run chase to earn a thrilling win over the Bulls.

Waugh says the impressive form of the Aussie Test contenders, combined with England’s recent woes against the West Indies, bodes well for the Ashes and has backed Australia to win the urn on foreign soil for the first time since 2001.

Joe Burns backed up his Test ton with an impressive return for Queensland.

Australia has struggled on recent tours to combat the swing and seam of fast bowling greats Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in conditions helpful for bowling, but Waugh dropped a bomb on the hosts by suggesting their leather-flingers are getting past their best.

The 128-Test veteran also claimed England’s wobbly top order is a concern as Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings and Joe Denly are all yet to establish themselves as genuine Test stars.

“I’m going to take Australia, I think they’ll win,” Waugh said when discussing the odds of his countrymen leaving English shores with a series victory.

“England just got beaten by the West Indies 2-0 which is a huge upset. Their bowlers are getting a bit long in the tooth and their batting looks a bit iffy to me at the top of the order so I think Australia can win that.”

After the Poms’ recent shock Test series loss to the Windies, England coach Trevor Bayliss voiced his concerns about lacking a settled top three.

“We’re still looking for those places. Supporters of English cricket want to have 11 exceptional cricketers but it’s taking time,” Bayliss said.

“The guys trying to nail those places down are working their backsides off to do well in international cricket but it’s taken a bit longer than they would like and longer than we would like as well.

“The top three positions, the struggles they’ve had, is well documented. They’ve all shown what they can do but it’s about doing it more regularly.”