Michael Hussey urges Australian selectors to persist with Cameron Bancroft in South Africa

Australia play a series against South Africa from March 1.

Bancroft will play a key role for Australia in South Africa. (Getty)

After Australia's memorable series win in the Ashes, their next big assignment this year will be when they tour South Africa post the completion of the ongoing ODI series and the tri-series to follow. 

Former Australian cricketer Michael Hussey who has been tracking Australia's performance closely has urged the selectors to persist with Cameron Bancroft in South Africa. Bancroft partnered David Warner in the Ashes and was reasonably successful in stitching im[pportant partnerships up at the top. 

Hussey now backs Bancroft to come good in South Africa as well with Australia lacking consistency in the top order. 

Hussey in an interview with The Unplayable Podcast said, “Guess Shaun Marsh can come up to open the innings, he has done that before but that wouldn’t be ideal. Shaun played so well batting at number five and six in the Ashes that I’d be reluctant to make that move. I’d be keen to keep him where he is, he just feels settled and comfortable playing that middle-order role which is really important.”

“Possibly they could make a change with Handscomb going to the top – I don’t think he’d mind, he’d just love to get an opportunity to play. I’m not sure what else they could do. They’ll just be hoping that Bancroft can do the job and get a few runs.”

Reflecting on Bancroft’s performance, Hussey said, “Bancroft found it tough at certain stages through the Ashes but looked good most of the time and he would have learned so much from playing in that series".

“The experience that he would have got from playing in an Ashes series, a huge high, will hold him in good stead as long as he learns from those lessons. He’s a student of the game … he’ll continue to work really hard and it will be a challenge for him in South Africa. The pitches generally do a little bit more, so he’s certainly going to be under the pump over there.”

Hussey concluded by saying that if Bancroft fails to live up to the expectation in South Africa he might get dropped which ultimately will increase problems for the management itself. 

To sum up Hussey's point what he wants the selectors to do is to sort out the problem of lack of options and give worthy players the necessary long run. 

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 25 Jan, 2018

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