Lorenzo Di-Mauro Hayes has been the Australian Cricket Society’s scholar for the past twelve months. We wish him well as he continues his degree. Here’s his final piece:
It’s March 2027. There is a great buzz around the MCG as play is about to start for the 150th anniversary Test match. The bowler has the new ball in hand and, like it or not, it’s pink. But what about that Australian team? Who will be the eleven men who suit up to mark this historic occasion? It’s never too early to speculate, so here’s what we might see in the near future. This is not the future, mind you, just a future.
The openers:
- Jake Weatherald
- Campbell Kellaway
Weatherald was the logical choice of opener at the start of the 2025-26 Ashes series. No one else had played as well at Sheffield Shield level. However, he never really got going during the summer. He would get off to a good start and then get out at the most inopportune time. While Weatherald is yet to really shine in Test cricket, there doesn’t seem to be anyone else who can knock him out, except for maybe a certain Campbell Kellaway. Something has to go really wrong for Kellaway not to play for Australia at this point. Speaking to the Australian Cricket Society last year, Kellaway was very confident about the direction of his career at that point. His stock and the cricket world’s awareness of him has only grown off the back of the 2025-26 summer appearances in the Sheffield Shield and the Big Bash. By March 2027, expect him to be banging down the door if he is not through already. He gives Australia a chance to try something different at the top of the order and allows some new blood into the dressing room.
Rest of the specialist batsmen:
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Steve Smith
- Travis Head
No real surprises here. Labuschangne has found form again after a lacklustre several months, from the start of the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield. Steve Smith is still Steve Smith and his recent time in the Big Bash shows he is as hungry as ever to make big scores. Lastly, Travis Head has been pushed back to five in this scenario. There is certainly still a path for Head to remain an opener for the rest of his career, but at some time the selectors are going to have to look to somebody new. Head will still play well at number five, if he is moved back there. This could really go either way, but the more interesting option is to let a new face open the batting. This is an important decision that would have implications on who else bats in the top five.
The middle-order:
- Alex Carey (Wicketkeeper)
- Beau Webster
When Australia’s top-order has been in trouble, which has been a regular occurrence, usually one or more of three men come to the rescue: Head, Smith or Alex Carey. Carey now sits as the best wicketkeeper in the world and he has done so after being launched into the Test sides in 2021 after Tim Paine’s fall from grace. Any concerns about Carey being more of a white-ball cricketer were eased after that first series and there is no reason to imagine he won’t be in the side in 2027. Beau Webster, for his part, is plain and simply the best all-rounder option the Australians have at the moment. He is able to take wickets with both his right-arm medium and his off-spin giving the Australian team great variety. More than competent with the bat, Webster has already made five scores of 50+ in the eight Test matches he has played in so far. He has won the right for more opportunities. He wasn’t the first-choice all-rounder during the Ashes, that was Cam Green, but he has been more reliable recently, which is why he is my pick.
The bowlers:
- Pat Cummins (Captain)
- Mitchell Starc
- Scott Boland
- Nathan Lyon
The bowlers are an interesting case. They simultaneously pick themselves but also have an asterisk over all of them. You just can’t be sure how fit they will be when we get to the match. However, if fitness is no problem and they haven’t recently broken down, Cummins, Starc and Boland feel the most likely candidates for an MCG pitch. Now the spin option is of much interest. Nathan Lyon still wants that one last tour of England but it’s impossible to know if the selectors will even want to play a spinner in the match. Lyon is there, should they want one. The big problem with Lyon is he will be 39 at the time this match will be played. The body can only hold up for so long, so even if they want to play a spinner, he may not be the fittest candidate. With that in mind, these aren’t the selectors only choices. There are a group of players waiting on the outside looking in. Hazlewood is of course in play as well. If he is fit and playing well, he could take the spot of a spinner or even another pace bowler if they are not at 100%. As special as this occasion is, with an Ashes in England later in the year, the selectors won’t want to take any unnecessary risk.
Best of the rest:
The trickiest part of such an exercise is we cannot know for sure the health and condition of all players fourteen months ahead of time. So, it would be remiss not to add some players in each position who could make their way into the side.
Sam Konstas, for example. The former Australian opener has shown some promise in recent Shield appearances. With four matches plus a final left for each state in the 2025-26 season, he and indeed any opener can still yet make their case. That is before we even mention another full season of first-class cricket. He won’t get fazed by the big occasion and may very well be wishing to get another go at something similar to his dazzling Boxing Day debut.
Cam Green is an interesting one. Throughout the back half of the Ashes especially, it felt over and over again that the innings he was playing could be the one where he makes a big score again. He would get off to a great start, only to run himself out or play a false shot which he paid the ultimate price for. If Head remains at the top of the order, Green and Webster can live alongside each other in the middle-order. Confidence levels among the viewing public require more runs from Green though. The selectors have seemingly been a bit more lenient on underperforming players with experience in the side.
If Lyon is not available, Cooper Connolly is the next logical choice, should they play a spinner. He has played one Test match in Sri Lanka in 2025, but has been an important part of the Western Australian state side and the Perth Scorchers. He is currently averaging 45.88 with the bat, it’s only through twelve matches but still makes for impressive reading. Michael Neser also sits in the wings as another pace option should he be needed, which is a very handy safety net to have.
There is still a lot of cricket to be played before the 150th anniversary Test. This is just one of the ways the Australian team might look on that momentous occasion to celebrate Test cricket over a century and a half.
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Australian Cricket Society
Very good team. If we only had a crystal ball!
Normally, I don’t like making predictions because so many things can happen that’s beyond our control, but my best Australian Test Cricket 11 for the Sesquicentennial Test in March 2027 is:
Matthew Renshaw
Travis Head
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Alex Carey (wk)
Beau Webster
Cameron Green
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Scott Boland
12th man: Michael Neser
I was very disappointed in the number of runs Jake Weatherald made in the recent Ashes Test series, as well as the way he was getting out, so I’ve decided to drop him. I’m also a great believer in “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, so I would leave Travis Head as the opener. To me, he’s the perfect replacement for David Warner, when Warner was in form.
I just have a hunch that Matthew Renshaw, currently aged 29, like Matthew Hayden before him, will be a very successful Test opener in his 30s. Although he’s not as powerful as Hayden, to me, Renshaw has improved his batting significantly over the past few years. He scores more quickly than he used to, has a good variety of strokes and more importantly, he puts great value on his wicket. Like Khawaja as well, he’ll be a better Test opener in his 30s, as he knows his game well and he’ll be more experienced. I am a fan of Kellaway, but I think he needs to wait a few more years yet for Test cricket.
I think Alex Carey at number 5 can do the job going forward that Travis Head used to do at number 5 for Australia. To me, it doesn’t matter that he’s also the wicketkeeper, because players like De Villiers, Sangakarra, Pant and Stewart did well batting higher in the order as Test batting wicketkeepers and Carey’s batting has improved significantly.
I believe there’s room for both Green and Webster in the team, as shown in the recent 5th Ashes Test. I realise Green’s batting has fallen away recently but he’s still young and talented enough to improve. Also, by batting at number 7, he’s almost more of a bowling all rounder, who can take wickets and bowl fast, with his height. His runs as a batsman will also be a bonus, as he won’t be relied on to make big scores.
Let’s see what will happen and C’Mon Aussie C’Mon!
Will the selectors pick the best team for the conditions to win the match, or use the match to resolve any undecidedness with a view to the main target of winning a series in England? The fact that Lyon missed out in Brisbane (pink ball) suggests to me he will be behind the eight ball to play in this match.
Thanks Lorenzo,
I have a hunch Konstas will be back.
Also, a retirement or two is possible. (Lyon?).
Weatherald is apparently in the right headspace and if they select a 30 year old then he probably deserves a second series. However, he must be on thin ice.
The theme of this is a good idea, Lorenzo.
There are Tests to be played against Bangladesh (h), Sth Africa (a), New Zealand (h), India (a), before we get to that 150 Test match. That’s a lot of cricket for the older boys, and I am not sure that Lyon, Smith or even Starc will get there. Lyon especially, has not been the same bowler since his injury in the 2023 Ashes.
For what it’s worth, I am yet to be convinced that Weatherald is a Test standard player, given his obvious technical weaknesses. Kellaway looks a real prospect – here’s hoping he scores a heap of Shield runs in the next two months.
Lorenzo, although the Test in question is only 13 months away, I have now taken into account other comments about possible retirements (some may even get a tap on the shoulder), as well as injuries and what the age of the bowlers will be for that Test. (although Anderson and Broad bowled well into their late 30s for England). I have therefore decided to come up with an alternative team.
I prefer my original team but it’s possible, but I hope I’m wrong, that there will be no Smith (retired), no Cummins (now injury prone again), no Starc (retired), no Boland (retired), no Neser (retired), no Lyon (now injury prone and retired). As the match is at the MCG, I think a specialist spinner should still be used, unless the pitch is like Boxing Day last year. You would think, in reality, most of those players would be available for that Test, but who really knows.
Although injury prone, I have included Jhye Richardson, who’s still young enough and is a wicket taker, Brendan Doggett, Todd Murphy as the spinner and Fergus O’Neill, to make his Test debut at his home ground of the MCG. In the batting, I gave the nod to Nathan McSweeney, over Josh Inglis. Ollie Peake and Kellaway may be in the Test squad for the next Ashes Test series in England.
Obviously, much will depend on who’s in form at the time but my Alternative Australian Sesquicentennial Test Team in March 2027, should players like Smith and the bowlers be injured or retired would be:
Matthew Renshaw
Travis Head
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan McSweeney
Alex Carey (wk)
Beau Webster
Cameron Green
Fergus O’Neil
Jhye Richardson
Todd Murphy
Brendan Doggett
12th man: Josh Inglis
Maybe Lorenzo, this time in early February next year, have your article rewritten again before the Test team is officially announced, and we could have a totally different team.
Marnus Labuschagne, hmmmm.
His last test century was at Old Trafford in July 2023. It, combined with heavy rain, saw Australia snag a draw, a draw which saved us from losing the series. Since then……………………………………………..
OK, he scored 124 against South Africa at Bloemfontein in September 2023, though that was an ODI.
I’d not have him play against Bangladesh later this year, or any of the tests prior to Sesquicentennial test against England. He was dropped from the Australian side in mid 2025, made lots of runs in the opening Shield games, returned to the test side for the Ashes series. In those five tests he made 258 runs at average of 28.77.
There was big talk a while back of Cam Green moving to the number 3 spot. He didn’t do well batting there in the Windies; who did? It doesn’t mean he can’t be tried again. If Marnus is still batting 3 in the Sesquicentennial test it’ll be an even greater recovery than Lazarus after his triple bypass.
Glen!
Glen, it’s all very well to drop Marnus Labuschagne, but do you honestly think that Cameron Green will be a better option at number 3? I know Marnus isn’t in the team for his fielding, but his fielding is brilliant. I know Inglis was dropped in the recent Ashes Test series the Test after he produced a brilliant run out. Green is a great gully fieldsman and as you rightly pointed out, didn’t succeed batting at number 3 in the West Indies.
I have a feeling the selectors will go for someone like McSweeney batting at number 3, instead of Green, especially the way Green was batting in the Ashes. Also, because Green is needed as an all rounder, so that the fast bowlers can have a rest, I think number 3 is too high in the batting order for Green.
What would your top 7 be in the batting order for the Sesquicentennial Test? Mine is:
Matt Renshaw
Travis Head
Marnus Labuschagne or if he’s been dropped, Nathan McSweeney
Steve Smith or if he’s retired, Josh Inglis
Alex Carey (wk)
Beau Webster
Cameron Green
A player who’s been forgotten but always performs consistently well at both Sheffield Shield and even Test cricket is Peter Handscomb. His first class average is 40.23 including 30 centuries and 74 half centuries. He’s often very high each year in the players with the best Sheffield Shield averages.
At Test level, he has played 20 Tests at an average of 37.2, including 2 centuries and 5 half centuries.
He is now aged 34, and he hasn’t slowed down. Don’t forget that Khawaja was playing his best Test cricket for Australia aged 35 and over.
Perhaps with the retirement of Khawaja, and with only Head, Carey and Smith really cementing their place on form in the current Australian Test batting line up, there’s still a place somewhere in the Test team for Handscomb, if not for the Sesquicentennial Test, but for the 5 Test series just prior to that against India in India from January to February 2027.
Guten Tag Stefan, points taken re the difficulty filling the number 3 spot. Nathan McSweeney has filled that role at first class level. Even better if the openers get us off to a start, and he strides out with 50 on the board. He certainly deserves a recall.
So does Peter Handscomb, though I won’t hold my breath. I can think of a few contemporaries of his who were given a far better run in the side. Maybe if Handscomb had family members who’d played for Australia, or came from Australia’s most populous state his situation may have been different; just saying.
Glenn Maxwell made a ton in his fourth test, but played only three more tests. So viele Berichte, so viele Fragen.
Glen!