Australia selector: Renshaw ‘good enough to do the job’

Australia selector Mark Waugh has backed under-pressure opening batsman Matt Renshaw “to do the job” in the upcoming Ashes at home against England.

The 21-year-old Renshaw, who has played 10 Tests, is fighting to keep his place in the home team’s line-up after not posting a half-century in his last nine innings.

The left-hander has not been helped by his poor start to the domestic season in which he has not gone past 20 in his last seven knocks playing for Queensland.

Despite his form, Waugh believes Renshaw has demonstrated that he has what takes to be successful at the highest level, especially on home soil where he made his debut against South Africa last year.

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After scoring 10 and 34 not against the Proteas, Renshaw started the series against Pakistan with 71 and struck his maiden Test century in the final Test in Sydney.

In an article published on Cricket Australia’s website, Waugh said: “His record for Australia is very good, his average is about 37 and he’s batted in some tough conditions in India and played well last summer.

“Like everybody, he would have liked more runs so far in the season … but we know what he can do.

“You can’t score runs every game, every year. You’re going to go through these low periods, so Matt has just got to handle that. I’m sure he’s good enough to do the job.”

Waugh, who played 128 Tests for the Aussies, believes every player will go through a bad patch like Renshaw is going through currently but it is how you respond that is important.

The Australia selectors will pick the squad for the Ashes on Wednesday with the first Test scheduled for Brisbane from 23 November.

Waugh continued: “At the end of the day you’re playing for Australia and I don’t think there’s any cricketer who hasn’t been under pressure at some stage.

“Personally, I got dropped after eight or nine Tests. I’m not saying at all that’s going to happen to Matt Renshaw, but it’s just part of being a top-level cricketer.

“If you’re a batsman and you don’t score runs, then people are going to talk about it. If you’re a bowler and you don’t take wickets, people talk about that as well.

“That’s just the nature of the game and it’s how you handle it (that’s important).”