I thought Hopes bowled the faster side of medium pace anyway, close enough to 130. Strange to hear he's found an extra yard or two at this age (Harmison retired from ODIs at that age!), perhaps he decided it was his primary attribute. Certainly explains his form, averaging 20 in both tournaments. His batting wouldn't get him a top order spot, but there's been enough runs to pick him as an all-rounder.
I think at this point, Jaques just needs to put a century on the board. He's been cursed by bad starts (in 7 innings without a 50 or 100, he has scored 56 runs) so really, if he can hang around for 20 or 30 balls, he should get off the ground again. Any opener is prone to getting done by an unplayable new ball delivery and I hope a string of bad fortune doesn't spark a legitimate form slump.
If we're "picking for the future" I'd give Paine a run. He's an ideal foil for Gilchrist and if Jaques is to be the successor to Gilly's vanguard play, he'd be ideal in a right-left combo with him, too.
There are far too many options, however. Clarke makes a good account of himself up the order and is probably ideal for it in some ways (much like how Martyn's more aggressive offside shots were suited to the field restrictions). However, Hussey is a senior opener and would surely be a consideration.