Nottingham Guardian - Weatherald's unenviable Ashes task: fill giant hole at top left by Warner

Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne have all been through the revolving door of opening partners for Usman Khawaja since Warner retired in January 2024.

The age of the squad announced Wednesday for the first Test has also come under scrutiny, with the only player under 30 being all-rounder Cameron Green.

The selection of the uncapped Weatherald at 31 to partner the 38-year-old Khawaja has again thrown the spotlight on the lack of young batting talent coming through.

"Right now, we cannot dodge the bullet, it is around our top order," Matthew Hayden, one of Australia's greatest openers, told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

"This bowling unit has carried the Australian cricket team for the last few years, as has Steve Smith."

Warner recently said he favoured Matt Renshaw to open against England at Perth on November 21, as did former captain Steve Waugh.

Renshaw, 29, played his 14th and last Test in 2023 and has an average of only 29.31 with one century.

Mark Waugh nominated Labuschagne to open, while former skipper Ricky Ponting trumpeted sticking with the struggling 20-year-old Konstas.

- Strong openers vital -

But left-hander Weatherald got the nod and has at least been the form horse in domestic cricket over the past few years, earning a reputation as an aggressive opener in a similar vein to Warner.

He was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season, hitting 906 for Tasmania at an average of 50.33.

He also clobbered 183 for Australia A during a red-ball series against Sri Lanka A in Darwin this year.

But he is not even assured to play in Perth after chief selector George Bailey left the door marginally ajar for Labuschagne to open.

"No, (Weatherald's) not confirmed in the XI," Bailey said, adding that he would be monitoring form in next week's Sheffield Shield matches which feature 14 of the 15-man Test squad.

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell stressed the vital importance of a strong opening pair.

"Data from the past 35 years reveals that a solid opening foundation is not just advantageous, it is also decisive," he said in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.

"A strong opening partnership transcends statistics -- it sets the psychological tone. The heightened intensity of the Ashes magnifies this pattern."

Should Khawaja and Weatherald open, Labuschagne will come in at his favoured number three.

He was dropped for Australia's last Test series against the West Indies but has roared back to form and with five early-season centuries for Queensland.

Smith and Head will bat at four and five and then it will be between all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster for the number six slot.

If Labuschagne opens, then Green will bat at three and Webster at six.

- Smith key weapon -

The bombastic Warner quit the red-ball game almost two years ago after 112 Tests and 8,786 runs, leaving a gaping chasm that has proved near-impossible to fill.

Prodigy Will Pucovski had long been anointed as a natural successor, but repeated concussions saw him retire aged just 27 after one Test.

Smith lasted four Tests opening before giving McSweeney a chance.

McSweeney struggled in the home series against India's Jasprit Bumrah-led attack, with gung-ho teenager Konstas then thrust into the limelight in spectacular fashion.

He scored a blazing 60 peppered with unorthodox shots on debut at Melbourne, but was less effective in the next Test and jettisoned in favour of Head for the tour of Sri Lanka.

Labuschagne then failed as a makeshift opener in the World Test Championship final defeat against South Africa at Lord's and was axed.

Konstas was brought back for the subsequent tour of the West Indies, where he too flopped.

Throughout the turmoil at the other end, Khawaja kept his place despite patchy form.

The veteran has reached three figures once since his 141 against England at Edgbaston in June 2023 -- a cracking 232 in Galle on a turning wicket against Sri Lanka in January.

In 10 Test innings since, his highest score has been 47.

Smith, 36, is not slowing down however. He slammed a superb century in his first Sheffield Shield innings of the season last month after going almost six weeks without picking up a bat.

He remains Australia's key batting weapon.

"If Smith gets on a roll and he starts scoring runs, it's going to be a challenge for England," Warner said.

O.Somerville--NG