Selectors have sprung a surprise and will bat Cam Bancroft at No.3 in the first Australia A match in a blow to his bid for a Test recall.
Bancroft has been listed behind fellow contenders Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas for the match against India A in McKay, which began on Thursday morning.
Australia A won the toss and elected to bowl, pushing back the highly-touted bat-off between Bancroft, Harris, Konstas and Nathan McSweeney until at least this afternoon.
The West Australian has confirmed the team sheet, which has McSweeney at four, is the order they will bat in this match.
Bancroft has endured a horror run of Sheffield Shield form so far this season, but there is a groundswell of support from Western Australia for him to be recalled for the first time in five years.
The 31-year-old had been widely expected to open the batting with Harris in this match.
Konstas began the domestic season with two centuries in the same match against South Australia to rocket into Test calculations.
South Australian quick Jordan Buckingham has taken two early wickets in the match, leaving India 2-32 after 13 overs and almost an hour of play.
Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said it doesn’t matter where players bat and believes they will be considered if they make big scores, regardless of where they come from.
“It doesn’t really matter for me who opens or not in these A games. You can read a lot into it, but the bottom line is just put a big score up,” he told the Willow Talk podcast.
“Don’t get a 100, get 150. We have seen guys in the past dominate an Australia A series and get an opportunity to play for Australia.
“No matter if you’re batting one, two, four or seven, just put some big numbers up.
“I love the talk about Konstas and McSweeney. I like that these two young kids have thrown their name in front of George Bailey with old-fashioned runs.
“I love when there is an opportunity there, and we have known about this for some time, two young kids come out and shoot the lights out.”
Haddin also believes Bancroft and Harris are still in selectors’ thinking, despite having both played Test cricket before.
“Bancroft’s form last year was outstanding. He dominated State cricket and that is what you want from your fringe players,” he said.
“I think Marcus Harris was the last reserve batter to go on a tour, so they are obviously still in the plans, it’s just been Konstas and McSweeney have put their name in the mix with performances.
“It’s good to have a bit of pressure going into an Australia A game, you want to go in and see how these guys respond.”
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au