South Africa tour squad preview

Andrew Ramsey has a crack at picking the Aussie touring party for the highly-anticipated series against the Proteas.

The fact that Australia used the same 12 names on their team sheet for all five Ashes Tests this summer means the national selection panel could narrow their focus when picking the touring party for next month’s series against South Africa.

Although Australia has taken a 16-man squad on its past couple of Test trips across the Indian Ocean, there is likely to be just 15 names in the squad to be announced next week which means only three berths would have been under discussion.

Assuming the Test 12 – including last night’s Carlton Mid ODI Series hero James Faulkner – are fully fit then they’ll be inked in, even though George Bailey’s tenure in the number six batting berth remains under close scrutiny.

The fact that South Africa’s strength is also its fast bowling complement of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander means they’re unlikely to prepare the sort of dry, spin-friendly pitches that England rolled out in last year’s Ashes series in the UK.

So the need for a second spinner in Australia’s touring party is negated.

And if conditions or fitness concerns dictate a sudden change to personnel, a replacement player can be put on a plane and land in South Africa within a day.

Glenn Maxwell would likely come into consideration should a raging turner suddenly appear at one of the Test venues – Centurion, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Which means that, in addition to the Ashes 12, the selectors only have to settle on an auxiliary batsman and a couple of extra quicks lest one or two of the incumbents should be hobbled on match morning.

Former Australian batsman Mike Hussey believes that Tasmania’s Alex Doolan maintains front running for the extra batting spot as shown by his inclusion in the squad for the Sydney Test when doubts arose over the fitness of regular number three Shane Watson.

“I haven’t seen a lot of Doolan to make a definitive judgement, but he seems like he’s been identified as the next one they want to put in,” Hussey said.

“He’s been around the Test team so I’d be surprised if they didn’t pick him.

“But the problem is there’s no first-class cricket being played leading into this South Africa series.

“So if it wasn’t him then you would probably have to look towards guys who are currently playing in the one-day arena, and if one of the batsmen in the one-day team such as Shaun Marsh scores a couple of hundreds then he’s got to put his case forward.”

Ex-captain and former national selector Allan Border strongly believes that South Australian opener Phil Hughes, who made such a memorable entrance to Test cricket in South Africa five years ago and was in sparkling form in early season Bupa Sheffield Shield games, should go ahead of Doolan.

“There’s no-one really knocking the door down with hundred after hundred after hundred - I mean Doolan is averaging in the 30s,” Border told radio 2SM yesterday.

“I have a very soft spot for young (Phil) Hughes and I think he’s been badly treated in the past.

“Maybe they’re just making him really earn his stripes again this time.

“He’s just so far in front of any other contender it’s not funny so I’m hoping they’ll take Hughes on the plane (to South Africa).

“It looks like Doolan’s jumped in front of him and I’m not 100 per cent sure why, I think Hughes is definitely in the frame.”

Hughes offers the additional reassurance of being able to take the wicketkeeping gloves should Brad Haddin fracture a finger or suffer some other sort of misadventure immediately before a Test.

But the era of taking a specialist back-up ‘keeper on tours has gone the way of rest days and silence during breaks in play.

As for the extra bowlers, Hussey believes James Pattinson must be squarely in the frame even though he hasn’t played first-class cricket since breaking down during the second Test of last year’s Ashes series in England.

Nathan Coulter-Nile, who with Doug Bollinger was added to an extended Test squad during the home Ashes campaign, is another whose name will have been raised in the selectors’ deliberations.

And Hussey has nominated Jackson Bird, another whose return from injury has seen him bowl limited spells in the KFC Big Bash League over recent weeks, as a bowler whose seam movement and swing would be ideally suited to the conditions that are expected to await in South Africa.

“I think Jackson Bird is someone who has been bowling well throughout the Big Bash, and the only thing against him is that he hasn’t been playing a lot of four-day cricket,” Hussey said.

“I’ve faced him and watching him in the Big Bash he’s certainly been bowling very well, and he would be very good in those conditions.”

Former Australian seam bowler Damien Fleming also nominates Bird to be marginally ahead of Pattinson should the selectors decide the 15th spot be awarded to a fifth quick (supplemented by all-rounders Watson and Faulkner).

However, Fleming points out that decision is based solely on the fact that Bird’s rehabilitation from injury is a few weeks more advanced and that he’s had a chance to get more bowling under his belt earlier in the summer than Pattinson was able to.

It was one of the reasons that Bird was being mentioned as a possible standby option for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests had one or two of the incumbent quicks been unable to make it through the entire series.

“After some thought, I would probably go for Bird just ahead of Pattinson simply because he’s a couple of weeks ahead in his recovery program,” Fleming said.

“Even though he’s only bowled those four-over spells in the Big Bash he’s been getting through some overs elsewhere and his game should be pretty well suited to South African conditions.

“That means Patto can stay in Australia and play some second XI matches or whatever before the Sheffield Shield competition resumes, and be ready to fly over there should they need him.”

So in the absence of any leaked dossier slipped under a hotel room door or secret briefings ahead of the official announcement, here’s our stab at the touring party and the rationale behind the choices:

David Warner

Why he should go: With an Ashes series-high 523 runs at 58 he showed the maturity and sense of purpose that he has regularly threatened to deliver. The destructive nature of his batting means he remains prone to ill-judged dismissals but it can also provide the initiative and the momentum that will be crucial against South Africa’s world-class seam attack.

What he will bring: In a word, unpredictability. He attempts – and often pulls off – shots that Test openers are not supposed to play. For a team as strictly regimented and carefully drilled as South Africa, this has the potential to upset their planning and it’s why Warner’s wicket will be prized second only to Michael Clarke’s.

Chris Rogers

Why he should go: Centuries in the final two Ashes Tests confirmed he had found his feet at that level, even though they were effectively ‘dead rubbers’ and did not include his spin-bowling tormentor Graeme Swann. The fact that South Africa boasts no genuine off-spinner will further brighten his spirits and he needs to be the anchor around which Australia’s more flamboyant middle-order can bat.

What he will bring: Stability, dependability and form. The fact that he’s not been required to play white ball cricket between Test commitments means his focus won’t have shifted and he will be rested and hungry. Can also be expected to lead the celebratory dance moves should the team be successful.

Shane Watson

Why he should go: Now that Jacques Kallis has retired, Watson has the chance to establish himself as the premier allrounder in Test cricket. Continues to search for consistency in his batting but the fact that he can – when fully fit – be called on to produce 8-12 overs of quality seam bowling is vital to the prospect of keeping the incumbent fast-bowling unit on the park for all three Tests.

What he will bring: While the seam-friendly South African pitches will suit his style of bowling, they will also provide a stern challenge for his batting technique. The fact that Dale Steyn specialises in the sort of bowling that so troubled Watson in England last year means the South Africans will fancy their chances against someone who won’t have played a lot of cricket between Test series.

Michael Clarke

Why he should go: Because his name is the first one inked on to every Australian team list. Lifted his captaincy to the next level during the Ashes series thanks to the confidence, personnel and public support that was available to him. Even the fact that he failed to reach 50 in last six innings – something that previously would have set his critics jumping - went unnoticed in the Ashes euphoria.

What he will bring: World-class. He will be the man that the South Africans will be keenest to see the back of, as they are acutely aware of his capacity to plunder huge scores when he gets set. The challenge for his team will be finding someone else in the flaky top six who can stay with him, and for the top three to have removed shine and hardness from the ball by the time he gets to the crease.

Steven Smith

Why he should go: Not to be too glib, but he reduces the average age of a fairly senior team quite considerably. His centuries in Perth and Sydney showed he is now comfortable with his place as a Test batsman and silenced critics who claimed he was too flashy to be entrusted with a senior Test batting role. He might also be called on to bowl a few overs of his quirkily-successful legspin, a form of bowling against which the South Africans have been historically clueless.

What he will bring: In addition to youth and energy, he is a vision for the future in a team that many argue was purpose-selected with the short-term goal of regaining the Ashes. Has the bravado to take on opposition bowlers regardless of the match situation and this tour will prove an invaluable learning experience for the one member of the party destined to return a number of times to South Africa in the decade ahead.

George Bailey

Why he should go: He just seems too nice to leave behind. Bald numbers would suggest his place should be up for grabs, but winning papers over a multitude of shortcomings and Bailey has yet to experience anything other than Test success. On the couple of occasions he did get going during the Ashes he looked competent though never confident and he knows he’s under the most pressure of anyone in the current Test XI.

What he will bring: An undoubted talent to strike the ball cleanly and to score quickly when he’s called on to make the running. He’s also a consummate team man, a great influence in the dressing room and a handy close-to-the-wicket fielder, but none of that counts for much when Steyn, Philander and Morkel have ball in hand.

Brad Haddin

Why he should go: Foremost, because Australia seems incapable of posting a first innings total in excess of 200 without him. Indeed, he would win his place as a specialist batsman alone if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s also in the form of his life with the wicketkeeping gloves. Only Mitchell Johnson could claim as significant an individual contribution to the Ashes success.

What he will bring: A hard edge and the sort of never-say-die combativeness that Australia used to fear and respect in former South African ‘keeper-batsman Mark Boucher. Haddin will doubtless receive the same sort of treatment from South Africa’s quicks that was dished out so brutally and effectively against England’s lower order, and will relish in the challenge.

Mitchell Johnson

Why he should go: He must be looking forward to this tour like few others, given the success he enjoyed with bat and ball on his first full tour to South Africa and the chance to redeem the pain of breaking down on the previous visit. He will command most of the focus from the moment the team lands in Potchefstroom and will be the man the South African brainstrust has been studying to try and pinpoint where England got it so wrong.

What he will bring: Is sure to benefit from the fact South African curators will have little choice but to prepare seam-friendly pitches because that is also where the strength of the home team lies. As such, this series looms as the battle of the pace bowlers and given that he is – on current form and results – the world’s most feared he is certain to get pulse rates quickening and turnstiles clicking.

Ryan Harris

Why he should go: Australia needs to extract every possible Test match out of his ageing body and peerless skills. The fact that made it through five Ashes Test was a medical triumph while the fact that he’s targeted the 2015 Ashes series is reassuring, at least in theory. He is the bowler who can regularly and ruthlessly land the ball where batsmen least want to see it, and Alastair Cook still wakes screaming to night time images of Harris at the top of his mark with shiny red ball in his grip.

What he will bring: Precisely what is needed in South African conditions – control, competitiveness and an intimidation factor cultivated by the video footage the South African batsmen will have been studying. While Johnson’s sheer pace and brutality excites crowds and headline writers, it is Harris’s clinical ability to slice a way through the best batsmen’s defences that thrills teammates and coaching staff.

Peter Siddle

Why he should go: He seemed to get better the longer the Ashes series went, which is a testament to his fitness and stamina. His knack of securing key breakthroughs when needed is a talent that will be sorely needed if the likes of Smith, Amla and de Villiers start to get on top and threaten to keep the bowlers out there for lengthy periods – which is something England was unable to manage.

What he will bring: A vital third prong to the pace bowling trident, that will be needed to match the threat posed by Steyn, Morkel and Philander. It is Siddle’s ability to pick up the grunt work that allows Clarke the luxury of employing Johnson as a genuine strike bowler and his value to the balance of the attack in totality can’t be underestimated. Sadly, his capacity to add some handy runs at the foot of the order seems to have deserted him.

Nathan Lyon

Why he should go: To lead the team song which, having gone unsung for the best part of a year since he inherited the responsibility, has now been heard more times than Enya at a wellness spa. The confidence that grew in his bowling as the Ashes progressed was also palpable and he is now a genuine attacking weapon who can generate sharp turn and bounce even on wickets that are likely to favour seamers.

What he will bring: Could prove the difference between two teams that are built around three-pronged pace attacks and batting orders that threaten to impose but can also be a little suspect. The fact that South Africa has yet to find a world-class spinner means Lyon looms as a significant point of variance. Also an underrated outfielder and a handy wielder of the willow who survived an entire Ashes series without losing his wicket.

James Faulkner

Why he should go: In his own words, he “stirred a pretty good brew” as 12th man throughout all five Ashes Tests. But it’s the all-round talent that he’s shown in the one-day arena in India – where he scored a remarkable century at Bangalore - and now in Australia where he lifted his team to a stunning win in Brisbane that explains why the selectors want him around the set-up.

What he will bring: A swagful of talent and an even greater competitive spirit. His role will be vital should anything happen to Watson, as Darren Lehmann has insisted on playing five bowlers and Faulkner is the all-rounder in waiting. Is tipped by many a good judge to be a future Test star who is patiently awaiting his chance.

Alex Doolan

Why he should go: Even though his results have been modest in the early summer Bupa Sheffield Shield games, his talent and diligence has seen him earmarked as the next on the selectors’ batting list. The fact that he was brought into the Test fold for the Sydney match as cover for Watson and kept on to work with the coaching staff once the game began confirms he is in the selectors’ sights.

What he will bring: A specialist number three batsman, which gives Clarke the option of shifting Watson down the order to take Bailey’s place should his run of outs continue. The unknown remains his capacity to deal with the mental and technical rigours of Test cricket against a highly professional opponent, but clearly the panel believes he has what it takes after the likes of Hughes, Cowan and Khawaja have been tried and passed over.

Nathan Coulter-Nile

Why he should go: Was in great form with the red ball in the early season Bupa Sheffield Shield games, and his athleticism in the field and all-round capabilities make him an ideal extra in a limited squad. Has made an impact in the one-day set-up and was close to earning a Test call-up had one of the incumbent quicks failed to recover in time for the Perth Ashes Test.

What he will bring: Deceptive pace and a genuine intimidation factor on pitches that suit his bowling – ie those that offer good bounce and carry. His talent as a lower-order batsman was also underscored when he was promoted as a pinch hitter in the recent Carlton Mid Series ODI thriller in Brisbane, a fact that adds further to his appeal.

Jackson Bird

Why he should go: Although he is one of the many established pace bowlers who has returned from injury via the shortest form of the game, he has shown enough in his KFC Big Bash League outings to suggest he’s quickly back to being a potent weapon. With Test experience, the selectors know that he can be reliably brought into to play a specific role should the contingency arise.

What he will bring: The sort of seam up, movement both ways bowling that troubles even the best credentialed Test batsmen and is the key to bowling in South Africa as Stuart Clarke showed on debut at Cape Town in 2006. The fact that he’s not played first-class cricket so far this summer might also be as much a plus as a negative as it means he is fit, fresh and ready to go.

The Aussie touring squad for SA will be announced shortly. Rumor is Bailey will be dropped and Doolan will be given his baggies


Here it is;
@CricketAus:Report suggests #Ashes batsman will not be going to South Africa: t.co/fFdDwC3cA4 #SAvAUS