Some of the picks make no sense this series. What is the point of Cameron White? The team needs a player who can play a consistent, proactive game with Smith still trying to find his way at #3. White is not the answer. Mitchell Marsh is playing a spot too high at #5, same with Stoinis at #6.
It's a tricky one, because there really isn't
anyone in Australia who has shown the ability to make any spot from four to six their own in one-day cricket recently. I don't think since the last World Cup any batsman has made more than one hundred in the middle order. Of those, I think the highest average over any meaningful sample size is Mitch Marsh with 36.
Here's the squad I'd be looking to nurture for the Ashes:
The Openers
Aaron Finch - Basically picks himself in one of the opening spots, although he has found success playing a more measured role.
David Warner - Has to be the first name on the team sheet in one-day cricket. Simply the best opener going around.
( Travis Head - Looked very much at home when he opened the innings for Australia. He's the back-up opener.
)
The Middle-Order (pos. 3-6)
Steven Smith - He looks pretty lost at number three currently, but he's fresh off the back of 900 balls of grinding out Test runs. Give him time.
Shaun Marsh - It's a new role for him in one-day cricket, but he's certainly good enough to do it. Plus, some experience in the middle order.
Mitchell Marsh - Averages 36 at nearly a run a ball, which is decent enough for a number five batsman. He is at best half of a fifth bowler though.
Marcus Stoinis - He has started his one-day career with enough of a bang that he deserves a very long leash. The other half of the fifth bowler.
( Usman Khawaja - As a builder of big innings, he is the reserve for the Smith or Marsh role. Not much international success, but huge domestic numbers.
)
( Glenn Maxwell - The reserve for a Marsh or Stoinis role, but only two of them can play in the same team and they are the incumbents.
)
The Wicket-Keeper
Alex Carey - A very aggressive batsman and excellent keeper with only one weakness - slower balls that bobble through to him. Let him make a niche in the side.
( Peter Nevill - A more aggressive batsman than Paine and a better keeper than Wade; he should be the reserve for the ODI side for me.
)
The Spinner(s)
Ashton Agar - Having asserted himself this year in the Big Bash by only twice conceding more than a run a ball, I feel like he's earned a good go for Australia.
( Nathan Lyon - If in doubt, maybe just go for the most skillful spinner? More than a wicket per game and a career economy under five is decent.
)
The Seamers
Mitchell Starc - Two wickets per game demonstrate the potency of his yorkers. Hell, he took four yesterday and still looked a bit off the boil.
Pat Cummins - He'd be in the side to be a right-handed version of Starc in effect - a fast, scary bouncer-yorker bowler who swings it.
Josh Hazlewood - Hazlewood the ODI bowler has never really impressed me, but he still has world-class stats. And who is there better than him?
( Jhye Richardson - He's your reserve for the spot of fast-angry-yorker-bowler. Inexperienced, but highly promising in that role.
)
( Peter Siddle - He's reinvented himself for this year's Big Bash, and is a skillful bowler to back-up Hazlewood in the accurate-with-slower-ball slot.
)
Other guys I'd want floating around the setup are
Jake Weatherald,
Ashton Turner,
D'Arcy Short,
Harry Nielsen and
Will Sutherland. Even if most of them don't play much, I'd want them playing occasional games so that they get the feel of international cricket so that they know what they might face in say the 2023 World Cup.
