Australia Ashes Squad Analysis

With the first test about to start I thought I'd share my individual thoughts on the members of each squad. I have included their own stats including career based, Ashes based, and matches played in England.

Australia Ashes Squad

Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin (vc), Ashton Agar*, Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith*, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson

*Temporary squad members

Michael Clarke (c)

32 years old

Career: 92 matches    7275 runs @ 52.33    HS 329*

Ashes: 20 matches     1365 runs @ 45.50     HS 136

In England: 12 matches     922 runs @ 46.10    HS 136

Michael Clarke is the key for Australia in winning the Ashes. He is the best batsmen in the team and has the ability to score large centuries. His ongoing back issue is troublesome but he will determined to lead from the front after a relatively poor Ashes series in 2010/11.

Brad Haddin (vc)

35 years old

Career: 44 matches    2308 runs @ 35.50    HS 169

Ashes: 9 matches    638 runs @ 45.57    HS 136

In England: 4 matches     278 runs @ 46.33    HS 121

Haddin has been reinstated as the wicket-keeper after losing his place in the side to Matthew Wade in the West Indies over a year ago. Part of it has come due to the need for some experience after the retirements of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in the 2012/13 Australian summer. Haddin will need to prove himself as if he starts the series off poorly, Wade will be waiting in the wings.

Ashton Agar*

19 years old

Yet to debut

Agar was part of the A series preceding the Ashes and impressed taking 6 wickets. He will stay on as an “intern” in the squad until playing in the A series in Africa.

Jackson Bird

26 years old

Career: 2 matches   11 wickets @ 16.18   BBI 4/41

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Bird is battling with the other pace bowlers to make the team. He is unlikely to play in the first test, but his accuracy and ability to swing the ball could well prove effective later in the series.

Ed Cowan

31 years old

Career: 17 matches   987 runs @ 32.90   HS 136

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Cowan’s major failure has been his inability to convert starts into significant scores. This has essentially led to him losing his opening slot to the experienced first class campaigner Chris Rogers. Nonetheless Cowan can preserve his wicket and with that skill rare in the current Australian team, he may well find himself at #3.

James Faulkner

23 years old

Yet to debut

James Faulkner was a wildcard selection in the Ashes squad. His fierce competitiveness has impressed selectors and management and it is not beyond possibility that he could play a test or two at #7 later in the series.

Ryan Harris 

33 years old

Career: 12 matches    47 wickets @ 23.63   BBI 6/47

Ashes: 3 matches    11 wickets @ 25.54    BBI 6/47

In England: Yet to play

Harris has been plagued by injuries which has meant he has not played a test match since the West Indies series in 2012. However he has excelled in the matches he has played. An indifferent start to this tour might prohibit from a starting spot in the team, he is definitely capable of coming in and making a difference.

Phillip Hughes

24 years old

Career: 24 matches    1452 runs @ 33.00   HS 160

Ashes: 5 matches    154 runs @ 17.11      HS 36

In England: 2 matches    57 runs @ 19.00    HS 36

Hughes came into the 2009 Ashes full of confidence after a blistering debut in South Africa earlier that year. Yet after two tests he was dropped after being found out in swinging conditions. He has made many a comeback since then, however it is yet to be seen whether he has fully overcome his deficiencies outside the off stump to a swinging ball. His efforts against spin against India were comical at best, so Graeme Swann will also prove a big test for him.

Usman Khawaja

26 years old

Career: 6 matches     263 runs @ 29.22    HS 65

Ashes: 1 match     58 runs @ 29.00   HS 37

In England: Yet to play

Khawaja made his test debut in the Sydney Test in the 2010/11 Ashes replacing the injured Ricky Ponting and showed promise. Unfortunately that is all he still offers – promise. He is another Australian batsman guilty of not going on after making a start and questions about his work-rate and fielding will not help his cause to get selection.

Nathan Lyon

25 years old

Career: 22 matches   76 wickets @ 33.18    BBI 7/94

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Lyon has made a steady start to his career but is under constant pressure from the Australian public who are desperate for a great spinner after Shane Warne. Lyon was dropped (perhaps unfairly) for a test in India but responded well to cement his place for the first test in England. Nonetheless with Fawad Ahmed’s citizen papers stamped, any step out of place from Lyon may lead to a mid-series dumping.

James Pattinson

23 years old

Career: 10 matches    40 wickets @ 23.37    BBI 5/27

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Pattinson is probably the bowler who has inspired the most fear into England’s batsmen ahead of the Ashes. He bowls with good pace and can swing the ball if on song. He has been injury plagued but has bowled extremely well in the lead-up matches and is gearing up for a big series.

Chris Rogers

35 years old

Career: 1 match    19 runs @ 9.50    HS 15

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Don’t let the above figures fool you as Chris Rogers has had a successful career, albeit at domestic level. He has scored nearly 20,000 First class runs at an average of over 50 and has a wealth of experience of English conditions. His position at the top of the order should do wonders for the Australians and hopefully avert some of their all too common collapses.

Peter Siddle

28 years old

Career: 41 matches    150 wickets @ 28.84     BBI 6/54

Ashes: 10 matches     34 wickets @ 32.35      BBI 6/54

In England: 5 matches    20 wickets @ 30.80   BBI 5/21

Siddle is one of the most experienced members of the team and has been a part of the last two losing Ashes squads. He is the leader of the attack, and despite some poor lead-up form, there is a sense that he is getting into his grove nicely. He will be running in hard all series and England will need to be sure to keep him quiet.

Steven Smith

24 years old

Career: 7 matches     420 runs @ 32.30   HS 92

Ashes: 3 matches     159 runs @ 31.80   HS 54*

In England: 2 matches    100 runs @ 25.00   HS 77

Smith debuted as a project player but has on the back of impressive performances in the past few months earned his place in the squad on merit. He was one of the few Australian batsmen to do anything of note in India and his century against Ireland was excellent. He’s been added to squad as a reserve batsman, yet if Michael Clarke stays fit, then he may be on the plane to Africa as captain of the A series before the second test begins.

Mitchell Starc

23 years old

Career: 9 matches     30 wickets @ 34.03     BBI 6/154

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

At his best Starc is a devastating bowler who can swing the ball late at over 145km/h. At his worst he is quite erratic and expensive. Starc can be seen as a younger version of Mitchell Johnson, but is obviously hoping for a more consistent career. If he is at his best, he could provide England some headaches.

Matthew Wade

25 years old

Career: 12 matches     623 runs @ 34.61     HS 106

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Wade replaced Haddin as wicket-keeper in the West Indies and was solid in his stint. His keeping though tailed off in the 2012/13 Australian summer and the need for an experienced player like Haddin meant he was usurped. Wade probably won’t see much of the action in England, but will want to stay on his guard in case of injury or poor form.

David Warner

26 years old

Career: 19 matches    1263 runs @ 39.46   HS 180

Ashes: Yet to play

In England: Yet to play

Warner was suspended after punching Root in a bar during the Champions Trophy and has therefore missed all the warm-up matches. The thought in the Australian camp though is that he is a good chance to play at #6 in the first test after losing his opening slot to Shane Watson. He may benefit from a drop down the order, but he would probably then still need to face the second new ball which he may struggle with.

Shane Watson

32 years old

Career: 41 matches    2580 runs @ 35.34      HS 126             62 wickets @ 30.06   BBI 6/33

Ashes: 8 matches    675 runs @ 48.21     HS 95                      3 wickets @ 90.66     BBI 1/30

In England: 5 matches    304 runs @ 33.77     HS 62              11 wickets @ 15.09   BBI 6/33

Darren Lehmann’s instalment as coach has already benefited with Watson, with a guaranteed move to the top of the order. Watson responded immediately with destructive innings 109 and 90 in warm-up matches. Whether he can produce this against much better bowling in the Ashes is another question. He will need to try and rotate the strike a bit better as a method to avoid getting bogged down instead of playing reckless shots. Watson will bowl less in the series but has the potential to pop up for a crucial breakthrough. He has good bowling form in England as well on the back of his performances against Pakistan.

Average Age: 27.22

Average number of test matches played: 19.94