Perth: New opener Nathan McSweeney has absorbed the first hostile spells of his Test career on and off the pitch, and hopes to continue the trend on what shapes as a very lively Perth surface for the first Test against India.
McSweeney weathered the speediest efforts of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in a centre wicket session at the WACA Ground on Monday and weaved out of the way of former Test player and current Cricket NSW director Ed Cowan’s criticism.
Mitch Marsh at training the day after his wife Greta gave birth to a daughter.Credit: AAP
McSweeney, whose promotion ended any possibility of Travis Head being moved up the order to take on retired opener David Warner’s former role, was also defended by his new teammates on Monday. Head refused to answer questions about his own potential as a like-for-like replacement for Warner.
Cowan, who has a regular podcast spot on the ABC, had argued that the selectors were “guessing” by picking South Australian No.3 McSweeney to open with Usman Khawaja. The frank words were a departure from the 25-year-old’s previously low-profile cricket career.
“I have the guys in my corner I really trust and value their opinion and I haven’t spent heaps of time with Ed,” McSweeney said. “I think for me I know what works and I feel very capable to go and do the job and I’m batting the best I ever have, I feel. Hopefully I can go out there and execute that on Friday.
“It [criticism] happened quite quickly. You’re playing a bit of Big Bash, but there’s definitely more talk around playing for your country, as there should be, it’s what you wanted to do since you were a kid. Being able to lean on the guys who have experienced it, it doesn’t change the way I prepare or try and go out and play.
“I’ve got so many supporters I want to make proud. So much family that’s sacrificed so much to get to where I am today and so many coaches that have thrown that many balls to me. Hopefully I can go out there and play really well and do them proud.”
Nathan Lyon, who bowled to McSweeney when he saved a Sheffield Shield game for South Australia against NSW earlier in the season, said that while he was surprised by the critique, the media required opinionated voices “to stay relevant”.
Lyon noted both how wide-eyed the debutant was but also how well he fought through the challenge of facing Australia’s pace attack in the Monday session. The first glimpse of the Perth Stadium pitch showed plenty of grass coverage.
Head went on the front foot in defending McSweeney’s right to a place in the team.
Big chance: New Australian Test opener Nathan McSweeney.Credit: Getty Images
“We’ll leave that there. I’m not answering. We don’t need to answer that now. That’s been and done so it’s all good,” Head said, refusing to answer questions about his potential as Warner’s replacement at the top.
“[McSweeney] has had a good start, he’s a great character and he’s fitted in easily. It can sometimes be a bit full-on when it’s your first experience. But there’s excitement. If he does what he’s been doing, he’s going to fit in perfectly.
“With anyone starting their career it’s going to take time. He has the support in the change rooms and I hope he has support outside that. He’s deserved his selection and it’s an exciting few weeks for him.”
Neither McSweeney nor Khawaja are particularly free-scoring, but he argued that a combination of busy rotation of strike and a resolve to bat for long periods could set the Australian innings up.
“Dave was an unbelievable player and I’m definitely very different to him in terms of how I play the game,” McSweeney said. “Being busy at the crease and I’m always looking to score. May not look like that at times but able to spend a lot of time in the middle and hopefully put Australia in a better position for the other batters to be able to come in and really dominate.
“In my Shield career it’s always been slightly favourable to the bowlers. Leaving the ball really well, making the bowlers really come to me and spending a lot of time out there and wearing them down and picking them off when they do miss and run hard between the wickets and be busy. If I can spend a lot of time out there it’s going to be good for Australia and hopefully put us in a really good position.”
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh was given plenty of pats on the back by teammates at the start of the session after sharing the news that his wife Greta had given birth to a baby daughter on Sunday night – two weeks overdue but well ahead of the first ball of the series.
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