Cricket news, Australia v Bangladesh team in Darwin, Jake Weatherald career, runs, Cameron Green v Beau Webster

Jake Weatherald admits he will likely get axed from Australia’s Test team if he can’t make runs against Bangladesh this month.

The 31-year-old is at home in Darwin this week ahead of the first match starting Thursday, before the series heads to Mackay on August 22.

The swashbuckling left-handed opening batter was brought into the Test team for the Ashes, but returned just 201 runs at 22.33 in what was a tough introduction to the game’s most gruelling format.

Australia has not played a red-ball match since January but is about to embark on an insane 18-month period that will feature at least 20 Tests, and possibly 21.

Weatherald will open the batting this week alongside Travis Head but the likes of Matthew Renshaw and Sam Konstas are waiting for another chance to wear the baggy green.

The veteran is under no illusion his spot in the team is safe.

“I think you need to make runs anywhere you go,” Weatherald told media in Darwin.

“You are required to make runs all the time. I’ve got an opportunity to play two games, make runs hopefully, I get four innings to do that.

“If I don’t do that then I put fate in someone else’s hands.”

Weatherald was unconvincing during the Ashes and did little to prove his ability as a Test player.

His aggressive style was pulled apart by England throughout his 10 innings, and former players including Mark Waugh have pointed out technical deficiencies in his game.

He went to England to hone his craft playing County cricket in recent months and made some promising scores, including an unbeaten century and a 96 for Leicester.

“It’s a challenge when people you respect say things about your batting, or your game,” he said this week.

“You’re naturally always looking for affirmation, and people to respect what you’re doing, but at the same time it’s a part of cricket.

“I understand now it’s just a part of the game I’m playing, but it’s a great challenge as well. That’s what makes Test cricket so hard, you’re in the spotlight, you need to do a lot of things, not just make runs. If you can do it all, it makes for a good career.

“There’s been a few tinkerings… It feels like I’m completely different, but everyone says I’m still pretty similar, which is sort of what I wanted a little bit. I didn’t want to change anything dramatically.”

The exact make-up of Australia’s team for the first Test against Bangladesh is yet to be confirmed, although Josh Inglis and Scott Boland appear poised to be the players left out from the 13-man squad.

Tall fast bowling all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster will likely both play, with journalist Bharat Sundaresan posting a photo from training on Monday showing Australia’s slips cordon.

Webster is standing next to wicketkeeper Alex Carey at first slip, and is joined by Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Green in the cordon.

Head is expected to open the batting along with Weatherald, and Labuschagne and Smith will bat at three and four, but there are question marks over the middle order.

It will be intriguing which of Green or Webster slots in at No.5.

Green is the prodigious talent who has failed to live up to the hype in recent times, while Webster came from the clouds to debut at the age of 31 against India and has now played eight Tests.

The veteran is happy to play alongside Green if they can both fit into the team.

“I love playing with Cameron, I love having the options if he’s on with the ball or if I’m on with the ball, we can chop and change if the big three and the spinner need a chop-out. So I’m more than happy,” Webster said on Tuesday.