Justin Langer says up to four places in the Australia Test side are available for anyone however the experience between groups kept running by Graeme Hick and Brad Haddin won’t be a “shoot-out” for Ashes choice.
Test chief Tim Paine will lead a Hick XII against a Haddin-instructed line-up skippered by Travis Head in a four-day challenge at the Rose Bowl, which begins on Tuesday.
Australia start their fight with England at Edgbaston on August 1 and head mentor Langer is still some path from concluding choice for the arrangement opener.
“I think there are a few bowling positions available to all, most likely a few batting positions,” Langer said.
“There will be a great deal of exchange about whether we have an additional spinner, a ton of talk about whether we have an extra wicketkeeper.
“It won’t really be a straight shoot-out [in Southampton], however there will absolutely be great open doors for folks.”
Langer is confident Usman Khawaja will recuperate from hamstring damage to be fit to confront Joe Root’s side in Birmingham, however the travelers will go out on a limb with the batsman.
“It was somewhat of a race against time for this game,” Langer said of Khawaja’s accessibility for the warm-up apparatus.
“He was truly close … however with his style of hamstring you simply need to ensure it’s privilege since you don’t need him to push it too early and make them influence him the remainder of the arrangement.
“We’ll watch out for what comes next with this game, and after that we’ll need to watch out for what comes next with the principal Test coordinate. Fingers crossed he’ll be alright.”
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