Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Australia’s poor top order batting has become a trend and Pat Cummins has not ruled out changes after the shock nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the first Test.
The defeat in Darwin inside four days, one of the worst in Australia’s 149-year history of playing Test cricket, was largely due to the top order failing to fire and the side being bundled out for 198 and 284.
Opener Jake Weatherald (23 and 0) and No.3 Marnus Labuschagne (1 and 31) are expected to come under the most scrutiny after continuing their lean runs in Test cricket.
Queensland’s Matthew Renshaw, who trained with an extended Australian squad of 19 players in Brisbane in the leadup to the Test, is an option to strengthen the batting order ahead of the second Test in Mackay which starts on Saturday.
Josh Inglis, who is the reserve batter in the official 13-man squad for the two-Test series, is another.
Cummins was asked what the message was to the batting group.
“I think it is pretty clear that it is not quite functioning as we would like as a group so all the batters will get together and maybe review some footage and review methods and approaches,” he said.
“If we need to make changes to our style, we better do it pretty quickly.”
On the subject of changing the batting personnel, Cummins’ answer was telling.
“I think it is a balance,” he said.
“It is one Test but it is a little bit of a trend as well. Do you intervene now or do you let it play out and think it is the way forward?
“Over the next couple of days we will have a think and the selectors will have a think.”
Cummins said there were players from the Cricket Australia XI side and others who had come back from county cricket who were “ready to go” and could come into the equation.
“You can choose from anywhere,” he said.
Labuschagne has not scored a Test century in more than three years and Weatherald is averaging 20.36 after six Tests.
Both players made adjustments to their technique before the Test in Darwin but Australia will have to decide whether they deserve more time to fine-tune those changes.
Australia had the toughest of conditions on day one after Cummins won the toss but Weatherald played a loose drive and Labuschagne prodded indecisively outside off stump.
In the second innings Labuschagne missed a straight ball and Weatherald chopped on.
The loss to Bangladesh will create calls for change immediately and Cummins didn’t sugarcoat the poor performance.
“It is not the desired result by any means.The standard we hold is a lot higher than we played this week,” he said.
Cummins said there were no excuses.
He said the preparation was “excellent” and could not be blamed on a lack of Test cricket in the past six months.
“We spent six weeks up in Brisbane and pretty much got that bang-on,” he said.
It was the performance that was lacking, particularly the batting.
Allrounder Cameron Green’s 104 in the second innings, his third Test century, was the exception.
