Picking him over 23-year-old Cooper Connolly in place of injured all-rounder Cameron Green, Australia named an entire XI aged over 30 for the first time in their history.
The other new name in their ageing batting line-up from last winter’s Ashes is 30-year-old Matt Renshaw, who made his debut 10 years ago.
Dad’s Army is only getting older.
By the midpoint on day one of this highly-anticipated series, Australia were 127-6 and Renshaw the only frontline batter remaining with 37-year-old Steve Smith, 35-year-old Alex Carey and a trio of 32-year-olds in Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne and Beau Webster all dismissed.
Labuschagne, who actually batted well for 37 before falling lbw to Wiaan Mulder to the last ball before lunch, has now gone 44 Test innings without a Test century.
This Test is the third in Australia’s possible 21 before the end of next summer’s Ashes – an unprecedented pile-up of fixtures that includes this tour against the world Test champions, a four-Test home series against New Zealand, a five-Test tour of India, a possible World Test final and the latest contest with England.
At 36, 35, 33 and 38, Australia’s bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon are all closer to the end than the beginning.
They have been a great side. Not everyone gets to live that fairytale.
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