Weatherald 'ready' for Baggy Green call

Jake Weatherald insists he is "ready to go" after firing the first salvo in the race to be an opener in this summer's Ashes with a big century for Australia A.

Weatherald hit 183 in Darwin and while the 30-year-old admitted it was batting-friendly conditions on a docile Marrara Cricket Ground surface, it further underlined a strong body of work over the past 12 months.

With an opening berth in in Australia's Test XI up for grabs, Weatherald, the top runs-scorer in last summer's Sheffield Shield, has carried that form into this summer with scores of 54 and yesterday's 183.

Weatherald's century came after Australia A teammate Nathan McSweeney was unable to capitalise on the opportunity, dismissed for 12 on the second afternoon in Darwin having been elevated to open in this second match.

McSweeney, of course, made his Test debut last summer in Perth against India, having won the pre-series 'bat-off' to partner Usman Khawaja, playing three Tests before he was replaced by Sam Konstas, the incumbent who suffered a wretched run of form in the Caribbean.

"Of course as a batter you're trying to put yourself forward to play for Australia," Weatherald said.

"That's why we're here. It's why you play domestic cricket.

"Making runs is your best currency to getting higher honours so it's a good opportunity to make big scores and thankfully I made one today.

"It's just how it is. Making scores get you higher honours."

In the past 12 months, Weatherald has now scored 1,143 first-class runs at 57.15, with four centuries. It's been a breakout year for the Darwin-born batter who has made his home in Tasmania, with his previous best season coming in 2017-18 while with South Australia.

"Just age, getting used to what I'm doing, understanding my game, understanding what I need to do to make runs and bat long periods of time," Weatherald said of his consistency.

"And just being confident I can do it in any conditions, just believing that I've got the right method and sticking to it throughout my innings and not being taken away by the wicket or the situation.

"Just being able to lock in and do my thing."

With the Australia A match drawn, Weatherald's attention now turns to Tasmania's Shield campaign, while there are also two four-day matches for Australia A on their tour of India that begins mid-September.

"If you keep making runs, of course you're going to get noticed more – and I've done that.

"Obviously there's some great candidates there as well, and they've earned their right to be there.

"So to be amongst them is a pretty proud moment.

"But I'm batting well, and I think I'm ready to go if it comes to that moment."

Conditions in Lucknow where Australia A play next will be vastly different to what could be expected in Perth, and it remains to be seen who is selected on that tour, with matches starting September 16 and 23.

Tasmania's opening match of the Sheffield Shield season is an October 4 clash with Queensland and fellow 'bat-off' contenders Marnus Labuschagne and Mathew Renshaw at Allan Border Field.

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes

First Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium, 1.30pm AEDT

Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3.30pm AEDT

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 11am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT