Former captain says MacGill should be picked

Border backs Hussey as Test opener

Cricinfo staff

October 11, 2007

Will Michael Hussey occupy Justin Langer's spot? © Getty Images

Allan Border believes Australia should overlook Phil Jaques and Chris Rogers for the first Test against Sri Lanka and promote Michael Hussey to open with Matthew Hayden. Border, a former national selector, said Hussey and Stuart MacGill should be given the first chance to replace Justin Langer and Shane Warne.

"There's an opportunity to open with Hussey, freeing up a middle-order spot for [Andrew] Symonds or [Michael] Clarke or [Brad] Hodge," Border told the Daily Telegraph. "It gives a better balance to the side rather than having a new opener and one of those middle-order guys missing out."

Most of Hussey's Tests have been at No. 4 or 5, but he loves opening and has spent most of his first-class career at the top of the order. However, Border said Jaques, who made 152, 82 and 136 for Australia A on the tour of Pakistan, and Rogers would come into the calculations. "Jaques and Rogers have got the numbers on the board," he said, "and deserve to be talked about."

Border also warned Shane Watson and Hodge, who have expressed their interest in the opening role, not to expect success immediately if they bat at the top. "It's one thing to say 'I might try and open' [but] it's not as simple as that - there's technique, temperament, a lot of different facets.

"Coming off at 5pm after a hard day in the field, everyone puts their feet up and you see these blokes strapping up their pads for the ugly half hour - that's a tough gig. Someone like Watson will have to almost serve an apprenticeship. They might go gangbusters straight away but it's amazing against the new ball, you can get caught out pretty quick."

After the spin coach Terry Jenner dismissed Brad Hogg's Test chances, Border agreed he preferred Stuart MacGill as Australia's No. 1. "Hogg is an option but Stuey should be given the nod first up, he deserves it," he said. "He's a proven wicket taker, I think he likes the big stage."

If Border was still a selector he would seriously consider a fast bowling unit of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait for the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba from November 8. "The way I'd be thinking would be the pace barrage," he said in the Courier-Mail. "I would be tempted to unleash Tait and Johnson with Lee and Clark. You wouldn't fancy facing that lot."

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