Hands up for Test place

Scrap starts to secure a spot in the opening clash

THE Australian batting lineup for the first Test against India should be locked in by Tuesday and support is building for Peter Handscomb to again wear a baggy green.

With two half-centuries in the Vics’ Sheffield Shield defeat at the Gabba this week, Handscomb outperformed his rival for a middle-order spot, South Australian Travis Head.

Dismissed for just 11 in Tasmania yesterday, Head didn’t pass 50 in the first innings either and with a Test average of 65.5 in Australia, with two hundreds, the numbers play out in Handscomb’s favour.

The fact extra batsmen were picked in Justin Langer’s squad for next week’s opening Test has many believing a call on the team hasn’t been made.

Langer seemed to endorse Head when the squad was named, but plenty believe he is still in a battle with Handscomb to bat at No.4. Despite a Shield 150 this month, Mitch Marsh, one of two vice-captains, may also not be a lock.

It’s expected the unwanted players will be released from the 14-man Test squad early next week in order to play in the next round of Shield matches, which begin Friday.

Victorian coach Andrew McDonald said Handscomb, who has 361 Shield runs at an average of 45 this season, has never batted better.

McDonald said players like Handscomb, who has played 13 Tests, and Victorian opener Marcus Harris were the sort of batsmen needed and deserved a good run at proving themselves.

“The guys they have picked are the ones they believe can take Australian cricket forward from this point,” McDonald said. “I have no doubt they can do that given the opportunity, and given a decent run at it as well. The key thing is that if you think they are good enough now you are probably going to pick them for the duration of the summer.

“If you get that opportunity in four of five Test matches you find out whether you can play at that level.”