Weatherald aligns technique and belief ahead of SA Shield return

Just after last summer's final Ashes Test, Jake Weatherald got to work fine-tuning an aspect of his technique that had been exposed by England not long into his tenure as Australian opener.

In the preceding summer, the same set-up – encompassing a distinctly crouched stance – had helped him become the Sheffield Shield's premier batter, earning him his Baggy Green cap in Perth as selectors turned to their sixth opener in the post-David Warner era.

England's pace attack however saw a weakness in Weatherald's set-up – which tended to leave his head positioned outside the line of his body – and troubled him with quick full deliveries fired in towards his leg stump.

In his 10 Ashes innings last summer, the left-hander was dismissed lbw four times, while he was also caught twice down the leg side off balls angled in at his body.

"The technical changes have been more around my alignment," Weatherald explained to cricket.com.au ahead of the domestic season.

"Dealing with playing first-class (state) cricket, it was a lot around nipping wickets, bowlers were slightly slower – not much slower – but the wickets were always conducive to seam bowling, so my technique was always set up for facing that.

"Then you play Test cricket, and the conditions were still nippy and hard, but they were a bit bouncier and … the bowlers were a bit quicker.

"For me, it was learning how I can become more aligned and allow myself better access to the ball, and I worked really hard at getting that right.

"Unfortunately, it didn't come to fruition in Darwin the way I wanted it to."

Six months on from the Ashes and Weatherald was noticeably more upright in his batting stance when he returned for Australia's next Test against Bangladesh in August.

Another change was the starting position of his stance, which appeared slightly more towards the leg side of the pitch.

"It's just getting a little taller at the crease and then allowing my body to move in a straight line basically, allowing me pure access to the ball instead of being a bit impeded by being a bit too far over," said Weatherald of the adjustments he'd made between his fifth and sixth Tests.

"They're the things I'm trying to work on now, and I think that's obviously what the selectors want me to develop as well, is to get better at that.

"Once I do that, I think I'll be in a good space. But it's also making a lot of runs as well, which I believe I can do."

Weatherald was given just two opportunities to implement his new set-up at Test level, dumped from the XI following scores of 23 and 0 in Australia's upset loss to Bangladesh in his hometown of Darwin.

"(Did) I agree with it? Not sure. But at the same time, everything happens for a reason," he said.

"That's just the nature of being a professional sportsman and playing for Australia. It's a hard place to be if you don't win games and you're a part of losing teams, things are going to happen.

"If you're not making runs, the same thing happens, and that's why it's so coveted to play for Australia because it's such a hard thing to do, and it's also the most enjoyable thing to do."

Weatherald is steadfast that his international career isn't done. He says his first taste has given him an "understanding how to be ready for the next time it comes".

The 31-year-old has today resumed his first-class career for South Australia, and was listed at No.3 as the reigning champions bowled first in Melbourne against Victoria in a rematch of last season's final.

Currently a Cricket Australia contracted player, Weatherald elected to head back home to Adelaide this domestic season after three years with Tasmania. He topped the Shield runs tally in the second of those seasons (906 at 50.33), which catapulted him into contention for a Test debut last November.

He was back among the runs in his first innings for SA since 2022 too, kicking off the summer with a better than run-a-ball 92 against his former state in the One-Day Cup last month.

But it wasn't enough to get him back in the Test frame just yet, with Weatherald overlooked in favour of a surprise call-up for Nic Maddinson – who hit a one-day century against Victoria – and in-form Victorian wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper, with the pair injury cover for Josh Inglis and Cameron Green, who have both been ruled out of the first Test.

The knock against Tasmania, also his first since being axed from the Test side, served as early evidence for Weatherald that the steps he's taken to help him succeed against international attacks can continue to bring him success at state level too.

"It could be a bit of a challenge (adjusting to domestic conditions), but at the same time, I'm a CA contract player, so my job is to be ready for Test cricket," he said.

"I've got to be good enough to adapt to those things, and that's a part of batting: Can I make runs when the conditions do change? I feel like the technical changes I'm making will be able to serve me well in both really.

"I'm a strong believer that it will come again (a Test opportunity).

"Whether that happens in the next month or whether it happens in the next six months or two years, I know that I've done it in Shield cricket where I've been dropped and had to come back and perform.

"So it's just focusing on the things I feel are important from a technical, and probably more from a mental point of view, understand the difference between first-class and Test cricket, and the different strains it has on me, and be prepared for that.

"And when I'm back, I'll give myself the best chance again to be a good version of myself."

Given what Weatherald has overcome to this point in his career, enduring mental-health challenges in the final years of his first stint with SA, followed by barely getting a game in his first season with Tasmania, a second coming for Australia is far from off the cards.