Jake Weatherald firms for role during Ashes, Test debut

Jake Weatherald has been backed to become the ultimate David Warner replacement and provide the aggression which has been lacking at the top of Australia’s batting order.

Jake Weatherald is firming for a Test debut in the Ashes with Australia wanting him to play a “David Warner style role” at the top of the order.

Whether or not that happens in the first Test depends largely on whether Cameron Green can build up the bowling loads to play as an all-rounder in Perth.

There remains the prospect that if Green can’t bowl and can only play as a specialist batsman, selectors will have to stick with Beau Webster as the all-rounder at No. 6, therefore leaving no place for Weatherald for at least the first Test.

But if Green can prove his bowling fitness, the strong preference of selectors appears to be for Marnus Labuschagne to bat at No. 3 and Green in place of Webster at No. 6 – therefore allowing Weatherald to take over as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner.

Darwin product Weatherald shapes as one of the great debut stories and if he does get the nod for the first Test, selectors will want him to play his shots and provide an upbeat tempo to offset the more steady approaches of Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith in the top order.

Jake Weatherald is firming to make his Test debut in the Ashes.

Weatherald might not possess the first-class strike-rate of Test great Warner, but Sheffield Shield-winning coach Ryan Harris believes the left-hander can in a similar way provide the batting balance Australia needs.

“I am old fashioned — I like a traditional opener. I think that Marnus has shown some good form but if you are going to pick a traditional opener I think Weatherald is the one,” Harris told this masthead.

“I feel Weatherald can play a David Warner style role. If he gets away they will get a great start. He is a good all-round player. He can cut and pull and drive.’’

Critics were hounding Warner late in his career, but even if the volume runs wasn’t matching the record-breaking feats of his prime, he was still the tone setter for the Australian top order and the momentum he could create at the start of an innings allowed the craftsmen around him to shine.

The worry with Labuschagne opening with Khawaja and Green at No. 3 is that Australia could get bogged down on the scoreboard early.

Weatherald is seen as a talent with shots all around the ground who can – not necessarily explode out of the blocks – but keep the strike rotating early and the scoreboard ticking.

Cameron Green’s bowling load could determine the Aussie line-up.

Beau Webster’s spot in the team is in jeopardy.

“If Green is bowling, then maybe they go with a Jake Weatherald at the top instead of Beau at six and shuffle the order a little bit,” Tim Paine — Weatherald’s Australia A coach — said on SEN Radio.

Australia’s desire for a specialist opener is also motivated by concerns about overloading Green by batting him as high as No. 3 and asking him to also bowl.

Allowing Labuschagne to return to the team in his accustomed position at No. 3 helps ease the responsibility on Green’s shoulders by allowing him to move back down to No.6.

Steve Smith, who is set to captain Australia at least for the first Test or two of the Ashes, was noncommittal when asked about his, Labuschagne and Green’s places in the batting order.

“He’s obviously not selected yet, but he’s done a lot of things right. He can open, as we saw in the Test Championship final, in he can bat three, he’s versatile and we’ll see where it all stands when the team gets picked,” Smith said about Labuschagne.

“I think (Green) can bat anywhere, as he showed in the West Indies, I thought he batted really nicely at three. He’s got a really good technique, good temperament and the beauty with our line-up is everyone can slot in at different spots and be versatile.”