Perth [Australia], November 20 (ANI): Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett are set to make their Australia debuts in the first Ashes Test at the Perth Stadium, with Beau Webster missing out on a spot in the playing
XI, confirmed Steve Smith, as per ESPNcricinfo. Cameron Green’s successful return to bowling proved to be the final piece of the puzzle. Although the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had raised thoughts about adding extra bowling options, the selectors have stayed with four frontline bowlers, supported by Green. “I think we’re pretty versatile with our order and the way we can go about it,” Smith said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “And Greeny (Cameron Green) obviously played exceptionally well at three in some tough conditions in the West Indies,” he added. “But with him bowling and taking that load, we feel that six is a good position for him right now. It doesn’t mean in the future that he’s not going to slide up the order but, for right now, number six suits this team,” he noted. Marnus Labuschagne will come back into the side at his preferred No. 3 position after a prolific start to the season for Queensland. Nathan Lyon also returns, having been left out in Jamaica when Australia opted for an all-pace attack in the day-night Test. “Marnus, when he’s batting at his best at No. 3, makes us a very, very good cricket side,” Smith said of Labuschagne. “We couldn’t really leave him out after he came back and did exactly what was told of him. The way he’s batted in Shield and one-day cricket for Queensland in the last couple of weeks has been amazing,” he noted. “When he’s batting well it’s tough to leave him out and hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena now,” he added. This will be the first time since 2019, when Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson debuted against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, that Australia will hand two new caps in the same Test. It is also the first instance in an Ashes Test since Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer debuted at the SCG in the 2010-11 series. Doggett’s inclusion, as replacement for the injured Hazlewood, means Australia will field two Indigenous players in a Test XI for the first time. Doggett, 31, has been in excellent form for South Australia since returning from a hamstring injury, taking 13 wickets at 14.69. “He gets the ball down at nice pace, stands the seam up,” Smith said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “His lengths are really good, everything you need for a surface like that out there. Hopefully he can get the ball in the areas we know that he can and if he does that then I’m sure he’s going to create plenty of chances,” he noted. Weatherald becomes Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since David Warner’s retirement in early 2024. On Thursday morning, he spent time visualising and shadow batting in the middle of the Perth Stadium, followed by another session during Australia’s optional training. “I watched him batting in the nets pretty closely the last few days,” Smith said of Weatherald, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “They were pretty tricky nets, fast, bouncy and a lot of seam. He’s got a lot of courage, he just goes in there. I don’t think he faces any of the sidearms or anything. He wants to face bowlers the entire time,” he noted. “The guys were charging in bowling fast, he took it on. He was getting in really good positions and he goes about it a certain way. He’s been selected for his performances over the last 18 months, hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena. I think he’s going to compliment Uzi (Usman Khawaja) pretty well up top,” he said. “When you’ve not played against someone before, you’ve got a vague idea of strengths, maybe potential areas you can expose them,” England captain Ben Stokes said on Weatherald. “We’ve got all the info on Weatherald so we’ll just have to see how it goes and hopefully he’s another Australian batter we can keep quiet throughout the tour,” he noted. Webster, who plays alongside Weatherald for Tasmania, is unfortunate to miss out despite scoring four half-centuries in seven Tests since debuting against India at the SCG earlier this year, most of them in challenging batting conditions. He had two low scores in the Sheffield Shield but recently picked up eight wickets against South Australia. “Very tricky,” Smith said on Webster. “I think he’s come into international cricket and lit it up immediately. It’s a really tough one on him,” he noted. The latest reshuffle sees Green return to No. 6, where he began his Test career, after batting at No. 3 in the West Indies and at No. 4 before his back injury last season. Josh Inglis, expected to turn out for the CA XI against England Lions during the first Test, and Michael Neser are the other players left out from Australia’s 14-member squad. Australia XI for first Ashes Test: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (captain), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett. (ANI)
