Bancroft’s opening form demands attention from selectors
CAMERON Bancroft is storming into prime contention to steal Matt Renshaw’s opening spot for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.
If selectors are serious about rewarding form, Bancroft has made himself almost impossible to leave out after a century for Western Australia last night at the WACA.
Bancroft is versatile and selectors could inject him at No. 6 or as a wicketkeeper, but it’s as an opener that he’s best suited, and his run of brilliant performances coincides with the quicksand that seems to be engulfing Renshaw.
On a day of huge developments, Matthew Wade’s hopes of retaining his place as Test keeper officially ended following another failure for Tasmania, while Hilton Cartwright and Glenn Max- well also missed their chances.
Selector Mark Waugh said yesterday that Renshaw “had a good chance” of playing at the Gabba based on the mettle he’s shown in his 10 Test matches, but the rumblings around the left- hander’s tech- nical issues are growing louder after another meek dismissal for Queensland yesterday.
Renshaw has made just 69 runs from five innings this Shield season, while Bancroft has stood up with a matchwinning knock in the one- day cup final, scores of 76 not out and 86 against an all- Australian NSW attack and yesterday’s century against South Australia – the 11th of his firstclass career.
“He played really well ( against Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins last week). Those are the sort of performances you want to see on a consistent basis from players at state level,” said Waugh at the launch of Triple M’s bumper Ashes coverage.
“That’s the sort of performance as far as me being a selector … definitely puts you high in the order for selectors.”
Waugh will fly to Brisbane tomorrow to convene with fellow selectors Trevor Hohns, Darren Lehmann and Greg Chappell to decide on a squad for the first Test at the Gabba.
Renshaw was thrown into the deep end last summer when Australian cricket was burning and showed on home soil and in India that he had the DNA of a fighter.
His average sits around 37 and he has batted in some difficult conditions.