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Jake Weatherald has won a “knife-edge” selection race to be included as an opening batter in Australia’s extended Ashes squad to face England in Perth later this month.
Weatherald, a 31-year-old opener for Tasmania, has been the outstanding aggressive top-order player over the past couple of years.
Jake Weatherald of Tasmania.Credit: Getty Images
He has been included at the expense of Sam Konstas, who has been dropped, and Matt Renshaw who was favoured by many seasoned judges including Steve Waugh.
Weatherald, who originally played for South Australia, will play in Perth if Cameron Green demonstrates that he can bowl the overs required of an all-rounder. But if Green cannot, Beau Webster is likely to retain his place, with the recalled Marnus Labuschagne to open alongside Usman Khawaja.
Australia’s squad is only for the first Test, starting in Perth on November 21. Selection chair George Bailey told reporters Australia had not decided if Weatherald would be in the XI.
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“That’s the squad and we’ll work through the XI as we get closer,” Bailey said.
“What’s impressed us about Jake is if you look at his performance over 18 months to 24 months, it’s been really solid. I think there is a method there that we like and is complimentary to those other players around him in the squad. He scores at a good rate and the way he goes about his innings is impressive.
“There’s been lots of batsmen scoring runs.”
Asked about Konstas’ omission, Bailey said: “I feel for Sammy. I feel like at the moment, if he farts, it’s a headline. We really like him. He’s been in and around the Boxing Day Test, he’s been on subcontinent tours … so we like the skill set there. Confident over the long run it’ll build out. It’s not going to be linear. The message is to keep it simple and score runs.”
In an earlier statement announcing the squad, Bailey said: “The squad gives us good balance and, with 14 of those chosen playing the next round of Sheffield Shield, we will continue to gather information as we move closer to the start of the first Test.”
Australia’s Ashes squad: Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Jake Weatherald, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett. Pat Cummins also travelling to Perth.
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