Wade’s Test career hanging by thread

DARREN Lehmann has refused to rule out the extreme measure of dropping wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for the second Test against Bangladesh.

Selectors will wait to inspect the Chittagong pitch before making any decisions, but Lehmann yesterday conceded Australia was mulling over all combinations, including Peter Handscomb taking the gloves.

The fact it was bucketing down with unrelenting monsoonal rain yesterday in the seaport city does not make the process any easier.

But the fact Wade is not safe on a tour with no specialist back-up suggests his Test career is hanging by the barest thread.

Lehmann pulled no punches by accepting his team deserved the criticism that’s followed the first Test loss.

He declared poor batting cost Aus- tralia the match that, despite Bangladesh’s considerable improvement, was the tourists’ for the taking.

When asked if a landmark change with the gloves was possible, Lehmann could give Wade, who has averaged just 21 since coming back into the side last summer, no guarantees.

“Again, once we get there we will take a look at the wicket and the conditions and whether we change that [keeping] or go with one quick or two quicks or three spinners,” Lehmann said. “It really comes down to what we want to set our side up like for the second Test, and the wicket. It’s not ruled out with any of the XI really. Of the 14 here, anyone could play.”

Lehmann said the mood in the Australian camp remained strong.

“We’re learning all the time. We still could have got the runs . . . but Bangladesh put the pressure on us and we didn’t cope well enough.”