'England right to open with Carberry'

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed the selectors' decision to open the batting with Michael Carberry instead of Joe Root in the tour match against Australia A, saying Carberry's experience is ideal.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed the selectors' decision to open the batting with Michael Carberry instead of Joe Root in the tour match against Australia A, saying Carberry's experience is ideal.

Carberry and Alastair Cook made 318 unbeaten runs on day one in Hobart, with both openers scoring over 150 as the Hampshire man continued to make a bid for the spot alongside Cook for the first Ashes Test.

The former England batsman felt Carberry would do well in the high-pressure role, despite Root doing that job during the Ashes earlier this year, with Vaughan saying the youngster would do well at number six too.

Vaughan told <i>Sky Sports News</i>: "It's quite a clever move by Andy Flower and Alastair Cook. They've looked at the No 6 position and decided that a young debutant (like Stokes or Ballance) is not the best idea.

"Jonny Bairstow isn't playing well enough to get that spot, but Root has done well for England at No 6 in the past – he got a hundred against New Zealand just a few months ago.

"He's a fine player and I'm sure he will end up opening for England, but for this series, this is a good move from England. To throw Gary Ballance or Ben Stokes in there is a tall order at this stage of their careers.

"Carberry has taken his chance. He's been opening for Hampshire and did well last week in Perth too. They made the call for him to open the batting two games before an Ashes series and he's taken it with a big hundred.

"It's going to be a really hot atmosphere in Brisbane for that first Test match. Australia are going to come at England hard and Andy Flower feels that having Carberry at the top and Root at no 6 – he's just trying to put those pieces in the right place.

"In a way it is a snub (for Root) but it's part and parcel of what the England camp is about. Andy Flower has shown he's not been shy from making tough calls."

As for the bowling department, Vaughan felt Boyd Rankin should be given the third seamer spot in Brisbane, ahead of Steve Finn and Chris Tremlett, after impressing against Western Australia last week.

He said: "I don't think Tremlett has done enough. His selection was a surprising one for me. He was bowling well two years ago, but he hasn't bowled well since. He had a bad injury this season and didn't bowl with any real pace.

"It's between Rankin and Finn and I think Rankin has just got his nose ahead. He's fresh, he's new, can bowl with a little bit more venom in some good areas."

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