Andrew Ramsey looks into crystal ball for UAE
Marsh in frame for Pakistan Tests
Budding allrounder Mitchell Marsh's big-hitting exploits in Harare might well have fast-tracked his progress to the game's elite form as the Australian selectors prepare to announce their squad for the two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE.
Quick Single: Shaun Marsh on brother Mitch
The squad, one of three to be announced by selection panel chair Rod Marsh in Sydney tomorrow morning to cover the Test, ODI and T20 legs of the four-week VB tour of the UAE, will contain a number of new faces from the previous Test squad that toured South Africa.
And the appearance of a solitary T20 fixture on the schedule could also open the way for the selectors to give highly rated Western Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Whiteman his maiden international tour.
But it is the make-up of the Test squad, likely to number 15 given that the only international standard red-ball cricket available to incumbents and aspirants since the final Test in South Africa six months ago was the Australia A series in northern Australia in July, that holds the most interest.
Test new-ball bowler Ryan Harris continues his recovery from knee surgery and is targeting the home Test series against India for his return, while batsman Shaun Marsh (who was dropped for the final Test in Cape Town) is out of action until December due to major elbow surgery.
Quick Single: Harris bowling again after six months
Alex Doolan remains the incumbent Test number three, but his South Africa series (186 runs at 31 from six innings) meant he did not nail down a place despite an impressive 89 in his first appearance.
He made a couple of scores in excess of 50 during the Australia A series but did not push on to a century, and he was forced to return early from a development squad tour of India last month when he suffered a side strain.
And of the performances from those four-day and one-day games that might help push the cause of future Test players, it was Marsh's double century in a record-breaking stand with Whiteman that captured most attention.
Quick Single: Marsh, Whiteman put on record partnership
Then, by batting with success at number three (where he made 89 against Zimbabwe) and also at six (where he clubbed 86 from 51 balls against South Africa) in addition to opening the bowling in one match during the tri-series in Harare, Marsh confirmed his valuable all-round credentials.
That would make him an attractive option for the selectors, who could slot him in place of a specialist batsman or bowler should injury or form concerns warrant an urgent reshuffle amid a tight playing schedule.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann, a member of the National Selection Panel along with Marsh, Trevor Hohns and Mark Waugh, was giving little away when quizzed about the possible make-up of the squad yesterday.
"Hopefully (Michael) Clarke is fit, but we just wait and see what happens there," Lehmann said.
"It's just getting the side as close as we can to win that series, obviously the skipper was injured and you can't help that, that's part and parcel, and (Shane) Watson was injured so you've just got to make a choice there and it gave other guys an opportunity."
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Asked whether those "other guys" included Mitch Marsh, Lehmann remained tight lipped.
"It's been a good learning curve for him (in Harare), he played a couple of really good games so we're pleased for that because if Shane Watson is injured we need - and always like to have - an allrounder in our side," he said
"If the selectors sit down and think he (Marsh) warrants a spot then he'll get a spot.
"At the end of the day he's been very impressive here and that's great for us.
"He's a young guy who has got a very big future we've got to make sure we get him as much game time as we can."
Indeed, it is the ankle injury sustained by incumbent allrounder Shane Watson at a training camp prior to the recently completed ODI tour of Zimbabwe – the series on which Marsh stamped his authority and confirmed his potential – that has opened the door for the 22-year-old.
Quick Single: Watson takes positive out of injury
Watson, who severely sprained his right ankle and damaged ligaments when he stepped on a ball at training in Brisbane last month, has begun running and is looking to return to bowling crease some time in the coming week.
"He is making progress with his rehabilitation and is on track for the UAE tour," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris told cricket.com.au.
Even with Watson available, Marsh – who many in charge in Australian cricket have earmarked as a future star in all forms of the game – could provide a handy extra option batting at six and supplementing the bowling on pitches expected to be flat and slow.
That would enable Watson to return to number three in place of Doolan, or even enable in-form batsman Phil Hughes to slot into the top six.
On a tour that will feature cricket's most successful bowler, Muthiah Muralidaran, working with the Australian team as specialist coach for the first time, the spin bowling responsibilities will fall squarely on the shoulders of Nathan Lyon.
But if a second specialist is required, that job could be given to 29-year-old left-armer Steve O'Keefe, who has yet to play Tests or ODIs for Australia.
Quick Single: O'Keefe finds form for New South Wales
And should Australian coach's prevailing philosophy that velocity is the primary criteria for his pace attack, then Pat Cummins – who took part in the one-day portion of the Australia A tour having recovered from injury – is a chance to return to the squad.
Cummins, who played his one and only Test as an 18-year-old against South Africa when he took seven wickets, has now recovered pace and fitness after a lengthy rehabilitation from a back injury.
Should the selectors decide an extra spin option be preferable to velocity in the UAE, then Glenn Maxwell may take that berth instead.
The ODI squad is unlikely to differ markedly from the one that took part in the tri-series that ended in Australia's six-wicket to South Africa in yesterday's final, with David Warner to return and Clarke likely to be named to lead the team even if he's not fit to play in the initial or indeed any of the one-day games.
By being part of the squad, he will then travel to the UAE a week or so ahead of the Test players which will give him time to prepare for the Tests and minimise the risk of sustaining an injury on arrival as was the case in Harare when he strained his hamstring at the team's first session.
Due to the fact the T20 fixture is a stand-alone, and it is almost two years until the next major T20 tournament – the ICC World T20 in India – it gives the selectors an opportunity to continue to see how some of the exciting young talent performs.
And there are few more exciting talents than Whiteman, who impressed many in Australian cricket with his four and one-day performances last summer, and who looms as the likely replacement for 36-year-old incumbent 'keeper Brad Haddin.
Possible squads:
Test: Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin (vc), Chris Rogers, David Warner, Alex Doolan, Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Marsh, Phil Hughes, Pat Cummins.
ODI: Michael Clarke (c), George Bailey (vc), Aaron Finch, David Warner, Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Nathan Lyon.
T20: Aaron Finch, David Warner, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, James Faulkner, Sam Whiteman, Mitchell Starc, Ben Cutting, Kane Richardson, Cameron White, Steve Smith