Australia face selection dilemma
Australia are eyeing to defend their title against South Africa next month. Photo: AFP/FILE
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald on Tuesday admitted that the final playing XI has not yet been decided and he is facing challenges in selecting the team for the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa, scheduled to begin on June 11 at Lord's.
As the defending champions eye back-to-back titles, the team management faces several key decisions, particularly regarding the top order and all-rounder roles.
While experienced opener Usman Khawaja is confirmed to take his place at the top, the identity of his partner remains uncertain.
Sam Konstas and Marnus Labuschagne have emerged as potential candidates to open the innings, but McDonald hinted that in-form all-rounder Cameron Green could also be a surprise option for the role.
Green has been in stellar form in England's County Championship Division 2, notching up three centuries for Gloucestershire over the past six weeks.
Although he is unavailable to bowl as he continues recovering from back surgery, McDonald is confident in the 25-year-old's adaptability with the bat.
"I think he can bat anywhere. He could be three, five, six, or even open. He's got the temperament and the skill set, especially the defensive game required higher up the order. He plays the short ball well and covers all bases." McDonald said.
The uncertainty extends beyond the top order. Australia are also debating whether to include an all-rounder in the final XI. With Green ruled out of bowling duties, Beau Webster, who impressed during his Test outings against India and Sri Lanka earlier this year, is in contention. The 31-year-old could feature if conditions at Lord's warrant an all-rounder's inclusion.
"There's an XI on a board, but it has dashes with multiple names in different positions. We have tried to assemble a 15-man squad that gives us all the options. Whether or not we go with an all-rounder depends on the pitch and conditions, which will then influence how we shape the batting order," McDonald revealed.
The final decision will hinge on how much weight the selectors give to the need for a fifth bowling option. According to McDonald, clarity will be provided to players as the match draws nearer.
It is pertinent to mention that the ICC World Test Championship Final is set to take place on June 11, at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London between South Africa and defending champions Australia.
South Africa currently leads the WTC 2023-25 standings, having won eight out of 12 Tests.
After a 1-1 drawn home series against India and a 2-0 defeat in New Zealand, they rebounded with series victories over the West Indies (1-0), Bangladesh (2-0), Sri Lanka (2-0), and Pakistan (2-0).
On the other hand, Australia stands second on the table, with 13 wins and four losses from 19 Tests.
Their journey included a 2-0 win against Sri Lanka, a 3-1 triumph over India, a 2-0 series win against New Zealand, and a 1-1 draw with the West Indies.
They also whitewashed Pakistan 3-0, while the Ashes series against England ended in a 2-2 draw.
Squads
Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Webster seeks dream pairing in WTC Final
Australia will defend the mace against South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 at Lord's. Since his debut against India at the SCG in January 2025, Beau Webster has presented himself as a viable all-round option in the Australia Test setup. His three Test outings, which yielded 150 runs and three wickets, impressed the selectors enough to select the Tasmanian into the squad for the upcoming World Test Championship Final against South Africa, starting June 11. Webster further boosted his claims during his county stint with Warwickshire, scoring 172 runs and picking 10 wickets from his four outings. This was a follow-up to his 2024 returns for Gloucestershire, where the all-rounder scored 233 runs and picked 16 wickets in four games. Cameron Green, Australia's other pace all-rounder in the squad for the Ultimate Test, has also impressed with his three centuries from five county games for Gloucestershire. However, Green is returning from a back surgery and hasn't bowled yet, which means that Webster's returns with the ball in English conditions assume greater significance. Green's excellence as a batter and Webster's all-round perseverance open up the possibility of both players featuring in the Ultimate Test. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Webster was excited at this prospect. "He [Green] is a generational talent and a phenomenal cricketer," Webster said. "He's only going to get better. He's only 25, so he's got a lot of cricket ahead of him. "I don't know what the make-up of the top six is going to look like or which way they're going to go with in terms of all-rounders, but I'm certainly hoping we can both be in there." Webster hoped that his performances in England could catch the selectors' attention before Australia's title defence against South Africa. "I like testing myself with the Dukes ball in different conditions. Hopefully, I can keep putting my name in front of selectors and become hard to drop out of that XI. That's probably my main purpose coming over, to keep my game ticking over." In case of a scenario where both players feature in the XI, someone like Marnus Labuschagne could be pushed up the order to open the innings. Webster backed Labuschagne, who averages nine from three county innings, to deliver his best in the summit clash. "When he's at his best, he's unbelievable. His record speaks for itself. He's a hundred-maker and a game winner. "I'm sure going to the top [of the batting] wouldn't phase him too much. Whoever gets the nod for that final is going to be raring to go." Webster's international journey has been quite a ride, with the all-rounder's impressive domestic run converting into an international debut at the start of this year in the Sydney Test against India, courtesy of Green's absence and Mitch Marsh's unimpressive returns in the summer. "I'm very, very proud of what I've done," Webster added. "But it's only the start and I'm looking to build on what I've started in the Baggy Green." Webster looked back at his Test debut as his most memorable memory. The all-rounder hit the winning runs at the SCG for Australia as they claimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by a 3-1 margin in the five-Test series. "It was a bit of a whirlwind. It all went so quickly, and I do wish I had soaked it up a little bit more. To be out in the middle with Travis was something I will never forget. "To this day [hitting the winning runs] was my favourite cricketing moment, without a doubt."
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Swiatek passes Rybakina test at Roland Garros
FAST WORK: Defending champion Iga Swiatek on the way to a fourth-round victory over Czech Karolina Muchova at Indian Wells. Photo: AFP Iga Swiatek kept her bid for a fourth successive French Open title alive as she fought back from a set and a break down to defeat Elena Rybakina on Sunday, ahead of reigning men's champion Carlos Alcaraz's last-16 tie against Ben Shelton. The four-time Roland Garros champion, who has been struggling for her best form and has not reached a final since winning the title last year, was in serious trouble when trailing 2-0 in the second set. But the 24-year-old dug deep to clinch a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory. Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman to win four straight Roland Garros crowns since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago. The Pole will next face Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, who knocked out 2024 losing finalist Jasmine Paolini, in the last eight on Tuesday. Swiatek is now on a 25-match winning streak at the French Open and boasts a remarkable 39-2 win-loss record in the tournament. Rybakina had won both of her previous career meetings with Swiatek on clay and the Kazakh dominated the opening set, hammering 12 winners past her bewildered opponent. "Well it was tough you know, first set I felt like I was playing against Jannik Sinner," said Swiatek. "I needed to do something to get back in the game, but with her playing like that I didn't feel like I had much hope." Rybakina broke in the first game of the second set as she threatened to run away with the match. But Swiatek impressively turned the set around with a run of five straight games. The fifth seed looked to have finally seized total control with a break to lead 4-3 in the deciding set, only to hand it straight back. Swiatek was one game from defeat when trailing 5-4, but she managed to end Rybakina's resistance and held her nerve to serve out the match. Svitolina made the quarter-finals for the fifth time with a comeback 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 win over last year's runner-up Paolini, saving three match points in a dramatic opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier. The former world number three, who has never made a Grand Slam final, will be bidding to reach a first Roland Garros semi-final when she faces Swiatek. "I still cannot believe that this match finished my way," said Svitolina. "It was a really difficult match today, Jasmine was playing really well. It was really tough for me but I'm very happy I was able to stay composed and fight until the very last point." Fourth seed Paolini, who won the Italian Open last month, fell to the same opponent for the second straight major tournament. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen secured a quarter-final place with a hard-fought three-set victory over 19th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova. The Chinese eighth seed extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 10 matches, winning 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-3 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Zheng will continue her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title against either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or American 16th seed Amanda Anisimova. Later on Sunday, Alcaraz continues his title defence against big-hitting American Ben Shelton on Court Philippe Chatrier. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz survived a brief scare against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the third round before battling through in four sets. Shelton will be fresh after racing past Matteo Gigante in the last 32, after receiving a second-round walkover. "Playing the defending champion, round of 16... centre court, that's a pretty cool opportunity, pretty cool experience, that not a lot of people get or see in their lifetime," said Shelton of facing Alcaraz. The winner will take on Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals, after the American 12th seed saw off Australia's Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Piastri triumphs in Spain with McLaren one-two
McLaren's Oscar Piastri celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo. PHOTO: AFP Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri won the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two on Sunday to forge 10 points clear of teammate Lando Norris in the title battle. The Australian's win, by 2.4 seconds, was his fifth in nine races this season and McLaren's seventh. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the podium after passing Max Verstappen's Red Bull six laps from the end following a safety car period that triggered the main talking point of the afternoon with the champion demoted from fifth to 10th. "It's a nice way to bounce back from Monaco. A superb weekend," said Piastri, who finished third last weekend in a race won from pole by Norris. Verstappen, who made four stops in total and ended up on the slower hard tyres against rivals on softs, collided with Leclerc and twice with Mercedes' George Russell after the safety car restart. The angry Dutch driver was given a 10-second penalty added to his overall time for the second Russell collision that was clearly his fault. He and Leclerc also faced a post-race investigation for their clash that could lead to further sanctions. "I tried to push him to the left, there was a bit of contact but fortunately no consequences," said Leclerc. Verstappen claimed the Monegasque had rammed into him and should have given back the place. Russell finished fourth after eventually being let through by Verstappen, who reluctantly did as his team told him. Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg finished a surprising and morale-boosting fifth for the future Audi team after passing Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap. Hamilton was a disappointing sixth, Isack Hadjar seventh for Racing Bulls and Pierre Gasly eighth for Renault-owned Alpine. First points Home hero Fernando Alonso scored his first points of the season with Aston Martin, who had only one car on the grid due to Lance Stroll's withdrawal through injury after Saturday's qualifying. Piastri led away cleanly at the start with Verstappen seizing second from Norris while Hamilton and Leclerc moved up to fourth and fifth as Russell lost out.
