FOR & AGAINST
RECALLING TIM PAINE
FOR: Posted a half-century against England’s attack during a tour game. No doubting his glovework is great, while a wealth of experience means he won’t be daunted by such a big occasion. No other stumper played well enough to demand selection (apart from Cameron Bancroft, who’s opening).
AGAINST: Hasn’t been keeping for Tasmania and played only three games for his state last summer, and has only one ton to show from 91 first-class games. Remarkably, coach Darren Lehmann has scored a Sheffield Shield ton more recently than Paine. It’s a Band-Aid solution when they could have looked to the future.
RECALLING SHAUN MARSH
FOR: In career-best form, according to West Australian coach Justin Langer. Topped the run-scoring charts in the domestic one-day competition then scored 91 against the Test attack in a shield game. Has four Test tons to his name and showed immense character and composure to salvage a draw against India in Ranchi this year.
AGAINST: This is his eighth Test recall. His only previous Ashes experience was in 2015, when he was called up for one Test then dumped amid the urn-earning carnage created by Stuart Broad. Dropped for this year’s tour of Bangladesh, it was widely thought selectors had ushered the 34-yearold into international retirement.
DROPPING MATTHEW RENSHAW
FOR: Knocks of 16, 1, 1, 19, 17 and 16 in the Sheffield Shield are evidence of his recent struggles. The Queenslander couldn’t go on with it in any of those digs, so it’s hard to imagine he would have found form against gun pacemen Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
AGAINST: Picked on potential, Renshaw performed admirably during his first year of Test cricket and they should have shown some faith. The opener scored 184 in his most recent home Test, and he acquitted himself well in India to become the first Australian batsman to reach 500 Test runs before turning 21.
NOT PICKING AN ALL-ROUNDER
FOR: Batting collapses have marred so many of Australia’s Tests losses in recent years. Skipper Steve Smith and vicecaptain David Warner can shoulder only so much of the run-scoring burden. More importantly, there simply isn’t a game-breaking allrounder available.
AGAINST: A star-studded pace attack is arguably Australia’s greatest strength and now risks being overworked — especially if pitches are as flat as expected.