Tim Paine has not played Test cricket since October 2010
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Australia’s Ashes squad for the first two Tests was full of surprises as wicketkeeper Tim Paine and batsman Shaun Marsh returned, while uncapped opener Cameron Bancroft also made the cut.
Paine has not played Test cricket since October 2010, but was chosen to replace Matthew Wade, who has endured a torrid time with the bat.
Australia captain Steve Smith admitted that he is excited about playing alongside Paine once again as the duo made their Test debuts against Pakistan at Lord’s in July 2010.
“I’ve known Tim for a very long time,” Smith was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “He’s a guy with an incredible knowledge of the game, he has a great presence on the field and is a terrific gloveman. His inclusion may have come as a surprise to a lot of people but I’m excited what he brings to the team. I’m sure he’ll do a terrific job for us.”
Bancroft has been in red-hot form in the Sheffield Shield and currently sits at the top of the run-scoring table as he has accumulated 442 runs in three matches for Western Australia at an average of 110.50.
Cameron Bancroft has been in sublime form
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Having scored an unbeaten 228 and two half-centuries, the national selectors could no longer ignore the 24-year-old, who will replace fellow opener Matt Renshaw.
“He’s been looked at for some time,” Smith said. “He was included on the tour to Bangladesh a couple of years go which didn’t go ahead, and I guess the selectors said at the start of the Sheffield Shield that there’s a bit of pressure on for some spots and guys that can put their hand up are going to be considered.
“He’s one who I thought played particularly well against a Test attack, particularly the first innings, there was grass on the wicket and it was doing a bit. He’s got a lot of time as a batsman, he’s composed, probably tightened his technique up a lot since I saw him last and if he goes in with that same mindset in Test cricket then hopefully he can score some big runs for us at the top of the order.”
Smith also spoke to Renshaw and while the 21-year-old was gutted to have been dropped, the Australian skipper is confident that he will be knocking on the selectors’ door in the near future.
“I spoke to him last night actually and he was obviously disappointed to not be included in the squad, as you should be, you always want to be playing for Australia,” Smith said. “So for him it’s about going back and scoring as many runs as he can. I think he’s an incredibly talented player and I think he’s got a big future for Australia.
“But he unfortunately hasn’t been able to get the runs on the board that the selectors wanted, and the Ashes isn’t a place where you need to be trying to find your form. I think it’s great what the selectors have done, they’ve gone with the guys that are in-form and if the top six are getting big runs for us, I’m confident our bowlers can do the job.”
As for Marsh, who is “in the form of his life” according to Western Australia head coach Justin Langer, he is the ninth-highest run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield at the moment with 236 runs in three games at an average of 39.33.
Shaun Marsh is back in the Test squad
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“He’s been opening the batting, so No. 6 is a spot where you could potentially face the second new ball and he’s been doing that,” Smith said about Marsh. “He scored some good runs against us in Hurstville and he’s hitting the ball really well. I think Justin Langer’s saying for some time he’s been in the form of his life and it looked like he was batting incredibly well, so I’m confident in the six batters we’ve picked that they can do a terrific job.”
Meanwhile, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns admitted that Bancroft, Paine and Marsh had all earned their spots in the squad for the first two Tests.
“Tim was identified as an international player a long time ago and has always been renowned as a very good gloveman, also performing well for us whenever he has represented Australia in any format,” Hohns said. “His batting form in recent outings for the Cricket Australia XI and Tasmania has been good.
“Matt Wade has been left out of the squad following some inconsistent performances with the gloves and lack of form with the bat. Unfortunately, his run of performances did not improve in the early rounds of Sheffield Shield and we have opted to make a change.
“We still view Matthew [Renshaw] as a player of immense talent, but he is out of form at the moment and we don’t feel an Ashes Test match is the best place for him to find form. We would like him to go back to first-class cricket and push his name forward with the selection panel through big runs.
“He [Bancroft] has thoroughly earned and deserves his call-up following some outstanding performances in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield competition this season. Shaun is playing very well at the moment, having scored consistently in the One-Day Cup and first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield competition. He is a versatile player who can slot in anywhere in the batting order and will add valuable experience to the batting line-up.”
Pace bowler Chadd Sayers was also drafted into the side and despite not having played Test cricket yet, Hohns likes what the 30-year-old has to offer as he has taken 14 wickets in three matches for South Australia at an average of 25.07.
“Chadd’s inclusion in the squad is with a view to the Adelaide Test and the conditions that we may see there,” Hohns said. “He swings the ball with good control and knows the conditions well at his home ground. He gives us this bowling option if required.”
The Ashes begins on November 23 in Brisbane.
Australia’s squad for first two Tests: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers