Our struggling back-up bats a major concern

Comment

ROBERT CRADDOCK

TWO things appear certain about the Test team Australia will field this summer: it has too much talent to be poor, but too many soft spots to be great.

Following a period of massive upheaval after the balltampering affair, the SS Australia appears to be sailing a steady course towards an era of solid prosperity without any sense it is ready for a global conquest.

The good news is while Australia’s world-class fast bowlers remain fit, Nathan Lyon continues his exceptional service, and Steve Smith remains Steve Smith, Australia may not win everything, but it will never be out of the contest.

But the stunning first-innings collapse of the Australia A side against Pakistan in Perth confirms what the selectors already knew — that Australia’s back-up batting depth is shallower than a toddler’s wading pool.

This means, for all their bowling greatness, Australia can never feel safe, especially on the road.

Australia has six batsmen jostling for two spots in the Test side that will be named today to take on Pakistan at the Gabba, and it feels very much they are of similar standard with no standouts.

Worthy talents from previous generations such as Martin Love (averaged 46 in five Tests) and Brad Hodge (averaged 55 in six Tests) must have winced in regret when they saw the Australia A side bowled out for 122 when two batting spots were up for grabs.

Players like Love, Hodge, Jamie Siddons, Stuart Law and even Darren Lehmann were squeezed on to the periphery by a golden generation of batting talent, but the talent pool is not what it was.

When the Test team is named — with or without the likes of Travis Head, Will Pucovski and Marcus Harris — there will be no luckless batting omissions.

No heartbreak kids.

The selection room door has been open for months, yet most of the contenders have struggled to rise from their seats in the waiting room.

When Rod Marsh started his two-year reign as Australia’s selection chairman in 2014, he expressed concern and surprise at his opening press conference at how a nation with such deep batting resources as Australia could have such poor batting stocks.

The narrative has not really changed.