Queenslander Matt Renshaw has put forward his case to be Australia’s next Test opener with a century for the Prime Minister’s XI against Pakistan.
Key points:
- David Warner will retire after the third Test against Pakistan, with a new opener picked to play the West Indies in January
- Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris are considered the front-runners for the job
- The PM’s XI game looks likely to end in a draw, with the Australians trailing Pakistan by 24 runs heading into the last day
With long-time opener David Warner set to leave the five-day game this summer, Renshaw has featured in a race to replace him, alongside Western Australia’s Cameron Bancroft and Victorian Marcus Harris.
Bancroft and Harris scored 53 and 49 respectively at the top of the order in the tour match, with Renshaw carrying on to three figures from first drop at Manuka Oval.
He received a few chances between 50 and 100, including possibly gloving a short ball to the wicketkeeper and watching a thick outside edge fly between keeper and first slip to move to 87.
Renshaw was then left on 99 over tea, but reached his 21st first-class century just after the break with a single off his 251st delivery faced.
Renshaw finished day three on 136 not out alongside Beau Webster (21*), with the Australians 4-367, trailing Pakistan’s first-innings score by 24 runs.
The slow pace of batting in the four-day match means it is likely to end in a draw, although it has served as a strong audition for the likes of Renshaw with no more first-class cricket between now and Warner’s retirement.
A veteran of 14 Tests since 2016, Renshaw was not named in the 14-man squad for the first game against Pakistan, starting in Perth on Thursday, but the PM’s XI game is the final audition for potential replacements.
Warner is set to open for the three Tests against Pakistan, finishing up his sparkling Test career at the SCG in January, before Australia’s men’s team starts a new era with two Tests against West Indies.
Harris said the pitch was “a bit dead”, making it difficult to get into a flow out in the middle and very unlike a Test match pitch.
“I felt like I was batting well,” he told Fox Sports.
“[I’ve had] a couple of good scores this season, couple of low ones. Feel like I’m batting well. Everything feels like it’s moving the way I want it to and in order.
“It’s good for the selectors having us all in the same game and spending a bit of time in the middle.”
Renshaw’s only Test century came against Pakistan at the SCG in just his fourth Test, back in 2017, but since then he has averaged just under 20 as he has moved in and out of the Test team and up and down the batting order.
The 27-year-old played for Australia in India earlier this year, with Warner himself nominating him as the man who should take his spot in the side.
He struggled to find his feet early on Friday but eventually got going, parking Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed back over his head for six.
Renshaw danced down the pitch and took two more boundaries off Ahmed as he finally looked to take the game on, before going back into his shell through the second session.
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