Australia’s aggressive new opening pair push Usman Khawaja to the brink of the end
A series win is so close Australia can taste it – but the return of three veterans will leave selectors with multiple headaches. See what their return will mean for the XI for the Adelaide Test.
Australia’s pair of top order hares are setting the tone for the rest of the top order, casting further doubt over the prospect of Usman Khawaja returning to the Test XI.
The Aussies will head to Adelaide with a 2-0 advantage and on the verge of retaining the Ashes given England has never come back from such a deficit to claim the urn.
From the forced disruption of Khawaja’s back spasms in Perth, the Aussies have unearthed an opening combination – Travis Head and Jake Weatherald – that has already produced two half-century stands, as many as yielded in total by the seven other different pairings employed since David Warner’s retirement early last year.
Weatherald and Head are both known aggressors however it is the way in which their approach is filtering through to the rest of the side that is striking.
Much has been made of England’s up-tempo, if reckless, Bazball tactics, but through two Tests this series Australia is scoring at 4.55 runs an over, the Aussies’ most rapid clip for a Test series since the 2015-16 summer, and its quickest ever in an Ashes series.
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No.3 Marnus Labuschagne had regularly been bogged down at stages during the previous two years, but is striking at 73.56 thus far in the series, well above his career strike rate of 52.10. More importantly, he has two half-centuries already since his Test recall in Perth.
Labuschagne said the fearlessness of Weatherald in particular was trickling down the Aussie side.
“Weathers has come in for the first time, and just the way he’s gone about it as well has just set the tone at the top,” Labuschagne said.
“And I just feel like that momentum sort of tripping through to the rest of the order.”
But Labuschagne said that didn’t necessarily mean this would be an ongoing trend.
“Obviously, the last three innings, we’ve got off to a bit of a flyer, and you kind of get out there and that momentum sort of just rubs off,” Labuschagne said.
“And some days it’s not going to work like that. You know, in the first game, it was a little bit more of a measured approach. The bounce was a bit more steep. (England) probably bowled, probably the fastest … and so it was a bit more absorbing, I think, for me.
“I pride myself on being able to read the conditions and play what’s in front of me and what is necessary at certain times.
“And it’s been nice to come off the back of momentum and be able to put the bowlers under pressure from the start of my innings. So I’ve really enjoyed that. But once again, it’s each game on its own, trying to read the conditions and read what the team needs.”
Khawaja, who turns 39 on day two of the Adelaide Test, was ruled out of the second Test with his back troubles, paving the way for the Head-Weatherald union to continue.
The veteran has been rehabbing and appears to remain determined to win back a spot in the side, albeit that may need to be in the middle order – if at all – given the success thus far of Head and Weatherald.
Khawaja’s replacement in the side, Josh Inglis, made 23 from No.7 in his lone bat at the Gabba, keeping the door ajar for Khawaja to return.
With Pat Cummins poised to come back for the third Test, and Nathan Lyon already guaranteed a recall by selection chair George Bailey, the Aussies are facing several difficult calls, particularly given Lyon’s replacement Michael Neser took five wickets in England’s second innings at the Gabba.
Lyon was bitterly disappointed with his omission, but Labuschagne praised selectors for their objectivity and willingness to pick the best side based on the conditions.
“We’re all professional athletes. It’s part of the game. It’s a team first mentality. You’re not always going to agree with the selections that are made, but over time (you) understand the tactics or what they were trying to do, or what they were trying to achieve. Obviously it paid off in this (Test). But regardless if it pays off or not, it’s team first, and how we manage each game on its own. And I think that’s the important part.”
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