Hayden backs struggling Renshaw
FORMER Test opener Matt Hayden believes Matt Renshaw is an essential Ashes selection as the Australian batting buffer needed to snuff out England’s attempts to storm fortress Gabba.
Hayden knows well the pressure which has engulfed Renshaw as he tries to nail down his Test future.
Renshaw has a total of 53 runs from 237 balls in four Shield outings for Queensland in a summer in which he has been simply existing.
Hayden believes Renshaw’s stubbornness is just what Australia need against one of the most experienced Test partnership of all time, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have taken 894 Test wickets between them.
“Broad and Anderson are quality bowlers and the one scenario Australia does not want is to win the toss and bat and be four wickets down for not many,’’ Australian great Hayden said.
“But if the scoreboard reads 1-65 at lunch there is every chance that Renshaw has done his job, so for me he is a lock in for the first Test.’’