A-eight in baggy battle
JUSTIN Langer has declared Test spots are on the line when Australia A launch their tour of India on Thursday.
Rain has wiped out the first three matches of the one-day component of the tour, but here are the players who have the most at stake when Australia A plays two four-day matches against India.
Baggy greens against Pakistan in the UAE in October are up for grabs. USMAN KHAWAJA: If Khawaja fails badly for Australia A it could cost him his place in the Test side. This could be the left-hander’s last chance to prove he is up to handling spin on Asian pitches. KURTIS PATTERSON: The NSW mainstay has a first-class record of five centuries and 23 fifties. In normal circumstances, this conversion rate would be a concern, but for Patterson, just making it to 50 on such a regular basis puts him ahead of most in a shallow field. Went desperately close to receiving a maiden baggy green two years ago when Nic Maddinson beat him to the punch. TRAVIS HEAD: A first-class average of 35 shouldn’t be good enough to earn you a Test debut, but these are unique times in Australian cricket history. The fact he has shown leadership promise helps his cause in a team devoid of experience. PETER HANDSCOMB: The Victorian might have played the last Test in Johannesburg, but with Glenn Maxwell guaranteed to take on Pakistan, Handscomb needs to show something for Australia A to survive. Some who are still asking whether Handscomb is a Test player. MITCHELL SWEPSON: Has been on the radar for Test selectors for a year now but has yet to get an opportunity. Last year Steve O’Keefe was flown in from Sydney for the second Test in Bangladesh, even though Swepson was on the tour. Will need a bag of wickets for to trump either Jon Holland or Ashton Agar. ASHTON AGAR-AGAR: The West Australian is much-loved by selectors but received a major reality check when Jon Holland was taken to South Africa as the back-up spinner ahead of him. Agar-agar is favoured to be part of the Pakistan squad but if he is out-bowled by Holland and Swepson it will be hard to justify. Agar-agar might be a terrific all-rounder in the making but Australia needs him to stand up on his own two feet as an out-and-out firstchoice spinner. JHYE RICHARDSON: Richardson bowls at 148km/h but intriguingly has only been picked for the one-day component of the Australia A tour. A baggy green beckons. CHRIS TREMAIN: Terrific first-class bowling average of 23 runs for every wicket taken from 44 matches. Was exposed when he made his one-day international debut but many believe he could be more suited to doing a job in Test cricket.