Hughes in line for shock Test recall

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 19 Januari 2014 | 23.02

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash Player

PHIL Hughes is in line for another Test resurrection as the bolter for the South African tour if the selectors favour substance over style.

Alex Doolan was the early favourite to change the "Unchangeables" for next month's three-Test series as Australia looks to bolster its top order batting against the most highly ranked pace attack in the world.

However growing concerns about Doolan's modest performances this season has left Hughes squarely in the frame to be part of the touring squad when it is announced on Monday.

The Sheffield Shield season started well for Doolan but he faded while Hughes exploded, scoring three centuries including a double hundred, giving the unorthodox left-hander 549 runs for South Australia at 61.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash Player

Doolan has 391 at 39 for Tasmania but made eight first class scores in a row below 50, including five below 20.

Whoever receives the nod today after a lengthy debate when the selectors hooked up last night, they will replace George Bailey in the line-up following a string of first innings failures during Australia's triumphant 5-0 Ashes whitewash.

The plan is introduce another top order player at number three and move incumbent Shane Watson down to number six as the all-rounder in place of Bailey.

The Tasmania captain only kept his place because of Australia's desire to take an unchanged side through the 5-0 clean sweep.

Many players have been chopped on the back of far better performances than Bailey, most notably Brad Hodge, who was overlooked for the 2006 tour of South Africa despite an average of 58. He played just one more Test.

A 14 or 15-man squad will head to South African on January 29, with only the Twenty players in the Test squad remaining to complete three matches against England.

Phil Hughes hasn't played a Test for Australia since being dropped midway through the Ashes series in England. Source: Getty Images

All of the Test 12 will be chosen along with another batsman and one or two extra fast bowlers.

Nathan Coulter-Nile is favoured to take one of those positions along with either James Pattinson or Jackson Bird if 15 are ultimately chosen.

While Pattinson shapes as Australia's stand-out fast bowler of the future, there are concerns that neither he nor Bird have played red ball cricket since breaking down with back injuries during the Ashes tour mid-year.

Both have returned through the Big Bash and Pattinson played Sunday night's one-day game against England in Sydney.

Coulter-Nile was on standby for the second half of the Test this Ashes series as Ryan Harris struggled to overcome his chronic knee problem ahead of each Test.

Hughes has already been through three incarnations as a Test player and can be considered a little unlucky when he was dropped on the Ashes tour a Test after scoring an unbeaten 81 in a record last wicket stand with Ashton Agar.

It was in South Africa five years ago that the roller coast took off for Hughes, when he became the youngest player in history to score two centuries in a Test at the age of 20.

LIKELY SQUAD: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke (c), Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson.

Should Phil Hughes be in the squad for the South African tour?


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Hughes in line for shock Test recall

Dengan url

http://sportlanhealty.blogspot.com/2014/01/hughes-in-line-for-shock-test-recall.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Hughes in line for shock Test recall

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Hughes in line for shock Test recall

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger