The bat-off is over, for now at least, and the selectors will gather in the next few days to settle on a squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth. The group may be a touch larger than normal – the flight west is a long one and a few roles remain unresolved – so some answers could yet be delayed. The final round of Sheffield Shield matches did, however, nudge a few pieces into place.
Western Australia v South Australia
Interest at the WACA centred as much on what Cameron Green did not do as on what he managed. His full-throttle return to bowling has been deferred again; instead, he built up his workloads on the side, even squeezing in a spell on the square once the match had finished. With the bat he had contrasting outings: a first-innings duck, the ball lasered straight to cover, then a useful stay on the last afternoon before a disputed nick behind. Green often says he improves the more he bats in a given format, so how he begins the Ashes after this staccato build-up is worth watching. He still has another Shield match to find rhythm.
The headline performance belonged to Brendan Doggett. In his first Shield appearance of the season, the right-armer – just back from a hamstring strain – tore through Western Australia for 6 for 48. Those figures could book him a spot as a reserve quick, all the more so after he travelled as cover for the World Test Championship final and would have toured the Caribbean but for injury.
“It’s just nice to see him come out and bowl like he did ‑ he bowed quick [and] his body pulled up alright, which is good,” South Australia coach Ryan Harris said. “But timely to get six wickets, especially with that announcement coming up in the next few days. He’s got a bit of pace and it’s going to be a bit of a pace-off in this Ashes ‑ England are bringing some serious pace. So he’ll fit in nicely… and if he gets the opportunity, he’ll be definitely ready for it.”
Cameron Bancroft filed a reminder with a first-innings century, though a Test recall still feels unlikely. Nathan McSweeney may have a brighter future: the South Australia captain crafted a neat hundred on day three and chipped in with useful off-spin.
Victoria v Tasmania
Selectors have already told Beau Webster he will be in the wider Ashes squad, even if a place in the XI is not guaranteed. His primary job in Melbourne was simply to prove the ankle will cope; 23 overs of medium-fast answered that. Runs were scant – 11 and 6 in Tasmania’s defeat – yet if doubts linger over how many overs Green can deliver, Webster is the obvious back-up all-rounder.
Opener still open
The nagging question is whether any specialist opener has actually nailed down a seat on the plane. Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw have all scored Shield runs this spring without entirely convincing. The selectors could hedge and take all three, though that would squeeze the spare seamer or spinner. A slightly enlarged squad would give room to manoeuvre, but flights to Perth are less forgiving than drives between east-coast venues, so they cannot take everyone.
Bowling balance
With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood pencilled in, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland look a straight shoot-out for the third seamer’s spot, conditions dictating. Doggett’s pace and Lance Morris’s raw speed provide cover, while Michael Neser’s ability to bat at eight remains attractive if the attack needs insulation. The shape of the final attack will also hinge on whether Todd Murphy plays as a second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon – Perth usually offers bounce but can reward finger-spin later on.
Next steps
Selectors meet this weekend, squad announcement expected early next week. Training camps in Perth follow, with one more Shield round for fringe players to leave an unavoidable impression. As ever, the devil is in the balance: do they plump for the extra opener, the reserve speedster, or the spare spinner? There is no perfect answer, only the one that must be defended if things go wrong come the first morning at the rebuilt WACA.
