Victorian one-two for Test
TEST skipper Tim Paine is backing Victorian pair Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch to open the batting in the first Test for Australia, but says the top six is not yet locked in.
“I think if ‘Finchy’ plays for us I dare say it is going to be at the top of the order,” Paine said yesterday before the opening Test of four against India, starting on December 6.
“If they’re the two we go with, I’m totally comfortable with that.”
Australia named a 14-man Test squad as speculation grows around the make-up of the top six.
Paine said runs in next week’s round of Sheffield Shield matches and conditions at first-Test venue Adelaide Oval would carry weight.
“We’ve got Mitch Marsh in the side at six at the moment. If conditions dictate and you only need four bowlers, you could play all of the batsmen and shuffle the order around,” he said.
“It’s important we’ve got lots of options. Clearly this next Shield round is important for a number of guys.”
Paine, though, backed Harris to make his Test debut after watching him bat from behind the stumps when Tasmania played Victoria this week.
“I’ve always thought Marcus Harris was an excellent player, even when he was playing for WA,” he said.
“I think his defence has improved a lot and he’s had that good attacking game and can score very quickly. So I think his game is pretty well suited to Test cricket.”
The fifth Shield round runs starts Tuesday, with the Test squad to assemble in Adelaide on Saturday.
Harris, who scored a second-innings 67 against the Tigers, will open for Victoria against Queensland at the Gabba but Finch will bat down the order.
Paine said where was up to Victoria.
“You’d like to think they’d help him prepare as best they possibly could but at the same time they’ve got a shield game to win,” he said.
Victoria skipper Peter Handscomb, also in the Test squad, agreed.
“He opens the batting in all white ball cricket with the swinging ball there, so he has got the skill to do it,” Handscomb told SEN Radio.