Bancroft gets Smith's backing to open in SA

As the immediate Test future of opener Cameron Bancroft remains clouded, the Western Australian has an influential backer in the form of the world's premier batsman and Australia captain, Steve Smith.

Bancroft finished the five-match Magellan Ashes series with 179 runs in eight innings at 25.57 apiece to put his position in jeopardy for Australia's next Test assignment in South Africa, but Smith wants to see the 25-year-old on the plane to the African nation in five weeks' time.

"He's worked hard and hasn't scored as many runs as he would have liked throughout this series," Smith said on Monday.

"But he's a good young player, he's a great character, he's got a great work ethic.

"The more he plays he's going to continue to improve and get better.

"If the selectors keep the faith and I hope they do, then it will only be good for him and good for the group."

Besides his unbeaten 82 in Brisbane that helped navigate Australia to a 10-wicket win, Bancroft made starts in four other innings without going on.

When asked why he had failed to capitalise after getting set, the 25-year-old said he wasn't concerned and instead focused on the positives, that being representing his country in the Ashes.

But as the self-proclaimed 'Whitewash Wizard' George Bailey can attest, an Ashes series triumph doesn't guarantee selection for the succeeding tour.

Bailey made 183 runs 26.14 in the 5-0 Ashes clean sweep four years ago but was not picked for the following South Africa tour, which Australia won 2-1 in dramatic fashion.

Former Test opener Chris Rogers, who toured South Africa in 2014, has suggested there should be a 'bat-off' between Bancroft and Queensland top-order batsman Joe Burns, who has scored more than 500 run in the JLT Sheffield Shield this summer.

"(Bancroft) is in my squad, I think though that Joe Burns is in the squad as well and there's going to be a little bit of a bat-off, maybe even in the nets, a pre-series warm-up game," Rogers told Optus Sport's Stumps show on Friday after the Western Australian made his first duck in Test cricket.

"The challenge is there for (Bancroft). I think he's allowed the selectors to maybe look elsewhere but I've still got a lot of time for him. I think there's a lot to like."

But Test great Mike Hussey has backed Bancroft to play against the Proteas and build on his experiences in the Baggy Green.

"The amount that he would have learned about international cricket and what's required to have success at this level, why would you just discard that straight away?" Hussey said.

"I think trust him on that, trust that he is a good player, he's shown that he's a good player in Shield cricket leading into this series, he's not going to lose that.

"The education he would have got from such a big series will hold him in good stead for the rest of his career."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test Match drawn. Scorecard

Fifth Test Australia win by an innings and 123 runs. Scorecard

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21