In the past, there were players known as "bolters" who were often overlooked by cricket's punditry.
Whether playing in Australia or on tour in England, both the visiting or home team have been prone to make surprising selections. Ashes series have habitually thrown up unconventional storylines.
From Botham’s Ashes in 1981 to the victorious 1989-Australians, who were labeled the worst Australian team to tour England! Left-field selection decisions have frequently changed the trajectory of a series.
So, the headlines in the last 48 hours that have painted a murky picture of the Australian squad selected for the World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 Ashes are confusing to me.
Why the murkiness, I am not sure. However, I do question the mainstream media’s speculation regarding the selection of Mitchell Marsh.
Marsh's inclusion in Wednesday’s Ashes squad is not surprising, and it is equally unsurprising that Cameron Bancroft was overlooked.
Before we get to the reasoning, can I share a couple of nostalgic ‘bolters’ from yesteryear?
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First, it’s back to prohibition times. For the 1932–33 Ashes series in Australia, England selected fast bowler Bill Bowes on the back of one first-class match—a bold decision by any standards. It would prove to be an astute choice, with Bowes becoming one of England's most prolific (in terms of strike rate) fast bowlers, taking 68 wickets in just 15 Tests. Bowes only played one Test in that infamous series, taking a solitary wicket.
Conversely, Bob “Dutchy” Holland (a civil engineer) from Newcastle (NSW) was selected for the 1985 Ashes tour of England. Holland, 39 years old, gained selection after a match-winning performance in Sydney (SCG) against the West Indies earlier in the year. Holland recorded match figures of 10/144 in Australia’s surprise win at the SCG. Holland took five wickets in the second Ashes Test at Lords, helping his side to a comfortable victory.
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So, back to Mitch Marsh and the murkiness.
If we peel it back to the initial squad chosen for the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, seven batters were selected: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Pete Handscomb—I have Cameron Green in an all-rounders category.
Selection for any Indian away series is an anomaly—four spinners were initially picked, with a fifth added later. As we found out, this tour was no exception.
More spinners, fewer batters.
Fast forward to the here and now:
Warner, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, and Renshaw remain.
Added is: Marcus Harris and you could say Mitch Marsh or you might place him in the all-rounders' category with Cameron Green. For now, and with clarity, we will add Marsh to the batting group.
So, from the Indian tour, Handscomb is omitted—there seems little need for a middle-order spin specialist—his place is taken by Marcus Harris, an out-and-out opener—hello David Warner, Ashes series’ have wreaked havoc on ageing warriors! I hope to be wrong here.
If Cameron Bancroft were to be recognised for his stellar domestic season, it would have been at the cost of Harris, not Marsh. A traveling team doesn't need four openers, particularly with the possibility of Travis Head converting to an opener if the crap hits the fan. Bancroft and Harris were in direct competition for the same position.
Yes, the selectors erred on the side of caution. Harris looks more reliable if he is called upon. Clearly, Warner will get the starting position. As for Bancroft, he’s in an awkward space. His technique (method), specifically the bat-swing and contact positions, hasn’t altered since he lost his place in the Australian team.
The bat swing (he’s right-handed) is from “outside-in-to-inside.” It can be referred to as “wiping.” Essentially, at its worse, the bat cuts across the ball from off (outside) to leg (inside) so relying on perfect contact points to square the bat to the intended hitting lines. Sound confusing? I hope not!
Bancroft’s dilemma is not in isolation. He knows his method can stand up in shield cricket, especially playing half of his games in Perth. His dilemma is, can he risk a drop in domestic output to adjust his technique to meet the demands of Test cricket? Yes, it’s the chicken and the egg conundrum.
Australia’s think-tank know there is a hole at the top of the batting order. The question is, how big, and who do they plug it with, a question that will continually test them throughout the Ashes series.
I like Mitch Marsh as cover in the middle order. He can move the game forward quickly if needed—he also provides genuine cover for Cameron Green in the case of injury. I see Jack Leach, England’s spinner, as both vulnerable and crucial to England when they rotate their quicks through the middle overs. Marsh can be brutal on spinners, given the cause. I would green-light him on Leach.
And, lastly, a deeper validation for Marsh’s inclusion is that if all else fails at the top of the order, then Travis Head is likely to partner Khawaja again in the opening position, which leaves the opportunity to play both Marsh and Green in the middle order and play just two quicks and a second spinner. That team might look like this:
Khawaja, Head, Labuschagne, Smith, Marsh, Green, Carey, Starc, Cummins, Murphy, and Lyon.
Also, one more point before I go. This current leadership group is continually trying to pivot away from the traditional ideals of picking large touring squads for the entirety of campaigns. Their rhetoric was not hidden when they made it clear this squad was effective until the end of the second Test at Lords.
Coincidentally, there are several Australians plying their trade in county cricket who can readily be called upon. And, here’s a left-field teaser of my own; there’s a prodigious batting talent playing some club cricket in Surrey also—Will Pucovski!
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OK, so I planned to wait a while before getting into any Ashes commentary. After all, the first Test at Edgbaston is still eight weeks off!
Anyways—as they say in the states—that’s it for now. I hope you are a bit clearer on everything. I can get into the “bat swing” stuff at a later date if needed?
As always, thank you for being here.
Good stuff Nick. Looking forward to some analysis on Renshaw. He is my top order saviour