Australia are set to field two debutants together in their Test XI for the first time since 2019 as they continue the transition in the longest format of the game, while still having the experienced cream feature as the hosts look to start the Ashes on a winning note in Perth against England.
Australia have named their playing XI for the first Ashes Test against England in Perth, featuring two debutants in the form of opener Jake Weatherald and pacer Brendan Doggett. Doggett has been impressive for South Australia in Shield, while Weatherald has finally got his shot after knocking the door down, scoring heaps of runs for Tasmania in domestic cricket for the last couple of seasons. Steve Smith will lead the side in Pat Cummins’ absence, while the regular No 3 Marnus Labuschagne also returns to the side after missing the West Indies series.
“Marnus, when he’s batting at his best at number three, he makes us a very good cricket side,” stand-in captain Steve Smith said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. “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, so when he’s batting well, he’s tough to leave out and hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena now,” Smith further said, while acknoledging that Labuschagne’s red-hot form across red-ball and 50-over games for Queensland almost made it impossible for them to leave him out, while also feeling for Webster, who has scored four fifties in seven Tests for Australia.
“For Beau, obviously, he’s the one that misses out, unfortunately. He came into international cricket and lit it up immediately – it’s a really tough one on him,” he added. Green’s fantastic return to bowling meant that Webster missed out, while Labuschagne got back his No 3 position. Green will return to his No. 6 spot, having batted No. 3 and 4 in the last 18 months or so, since David Warner’s retirement and subsequent reshuffle in the batting order.
Australia will have a relatively new look to their bowling attack, with both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood unavailable. Smith admitted that it wasn’t ideal not having both the experienced seamers, but acknowledged that fast bowling isn’t an easy art to master and it does take a toll on their bodies, while being excited for the 31-year-old Doggett making his well-earned and deserved debut.
“Unfortunate that those two are out. But an exciting opportunity for Scotty (Boland) and for Brendan Doggett to make his debut. Brendan’s been on a few tours with Australia. He is very skilful. I think he’s improved a hell of a lot the last few years and I’m excited to see him go about his business,” Smith said. This will be the first time that two indigenous players will be part of an Australian playing XI, with Doggett becoming only the third cricketer to represent Australia after Jason Gillespie and Boland.
Australia’s playing XI for first Ashes Test: Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland