Left-field solution to Ashes conundrum

There are still plenty of selection questions to be answered — and every former Test great is eager to have a say.

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Just last week Shane Warne gave Australia a reality check, pointing to “a lot of gaps” including an opener, a middle order batsman and savaging both Mitchell Starc and skipper Tim Paine.

It’s considered a two-horse race between Usman Khawaja and Marcus Harris for the opening position alongside David Warner, but legends are split over who would best fill the spot as Mark Waugh is team Khawaja while Warne backed Harris to get the nod.

Travis Head is expected to slot in at No. 5, but there’s also been talk of Khawaja potentially sliding down to the middle order.

Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O’Keeffe has offered a left field solution to both batting positions.

Speaking on Fox Cricket’s World Cup Live on Monday night, ex-Test leg-spinner O’Keeffe said 25-year-old South Australian top order batsman Jake Carder should open and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh should slot into the middle order.

Carder debuted in 2015 for the Cricket Australia XI, a side made up of promising youngsters from around Australia, before getting a deal with Western Australia in 2019/20.

But his move to South Australia this season paid dividends straight away as he scored his maiden first-class century at No. 3.

In his first-class career so far, Carder averages 33.81 in 26 innings with one century and four half-centuries.

But so far this season, he has scored 303 runs at 60.60 in five innings to sit fourth in runs early in the Sheffield Shield season. He sits behind Khawaja, Tasmanian rookie opener Tim Ward and WA veteran Hilton Cartwright.

O’Keeffe also called for Marsh, who has starred in T20 cricket for Australia in recent times, to earn another call up.

“If I was a selector and the first six in Brisbane, I’d go: David Warner, Jake Carder, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh,” O’Keeffe said.

“I think there’s more upside to Mitch Marsh, at 30, then there might be to Travis Head.

“And Jake Carder is an opener for Australia just waiting to be selected.”

Marsh has been playing much more white-ball cricket in recent times, but averages 40.36 runs from 11 innings after be was promoted to first drop in the Aussie T20 side.

However, he’s yet to play first-class cricket this summer.

But former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said that Marsh could play a big role in the Ashes if the selectors go with their guts.

“It’s similar for me to George Bailey. He came off that red-hot white-ball form leading into the 2013 Ashes where Australia won 5-0 at home and he batted at No. 6,” Haddin told World Cup Live.

“Mitch Marsh is that gut-feel selection. You can look at the analytics and red-ball games going on, but I just think he’s ripe for the picking at the moment. Come in at six, he’ll move the game forward. If the top order do their job, he could be really proactive batting with the tail. Imagine him at eight, nine and 10.”

O’Keeffe also said that Marsh would be a better wicket taking option that Green as well.

“Last year against India, Cameron Green didn’t get a wicket, so Tim Paine kept having to bring back the specialists. Mitch Marsh got seven wickets in his last Test two years ago – he gets people out in Test cricket,” he said.

Marsh has been much maligned in his 32 match career, averaging 25.2 with the bat including two centuries and three 50s and 42 wickets at 38.64 with the ball.

Marsh was asked about the chance of wearing the Baggy Green again but said he felt he was a fair way off.

“I certainly have aspirations to keep playing Test match cricket for Australia,” Marsh told World Cup Live.

“In all honesty, I’m probably a few back in the pack now but hopefully some stage I’ll get a go with some red-ball cricket for either WA or I know there’s an Australia A game coming up, so hopefully I’m in that.

“Anytime you play, you’re pressing for selection, so I still have high hopes to play Test match cricket again. But I’m realistic that I’m probably a couple back at this stage and I have to make a few runs.”

But speaking to Sportsday WA on Tuesday, Marsh said that coach Justin Langer has doesn’t care about which format he’s playing.

“I don’t have a lot of red-ball cricket (form) to put my hand up for selection (with), but JL’s always said that form is form, no matter the format,” he said.

“Hopefully (my) international form can carry over to selection to the red-ball stuff.”

Originally published as Legend’s left-field choice to solve Ashes selection headache