Perth: Shaken Australia have drafted in batsmen Joe Burns and Callum Ferguson for this week's second Test against South Africa as they seek to rebound from a 177-run crunching in the series opener in Perth.
The inclusion of Burns and Ferguson for the Hobart Test, beginning on Saturday, is a backflip from coach Darren Lehmann's declaration as late as Sunday that the same 12-man squad picked for Perth would be used in Hobart - despite already knowing Shaun Marsh was injured.
![Steve Smith and chairman of selectors Rod Marsh have plenty to occupy their minds.](/web/20161108054326im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/k/0/s/5/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsjn3m.png/1478557975952.jpg)
The heavy defeat at the WACA was compounded by Marsh's broken little finger on his left hand on day one, ruling him out of the series. However, Marsh's decision on whether he would opt for surgery - which he has - was not made until Monday.
Burns, dropped after the second Test in Sri Lanka, is set to open with David Warner.
The uncapped Ferguson, who turns 32 this month, could replace Voges, who has a hamstring twinge and will be assessed, or even allrounder Mitch Marsh if Australia seeks greater specialist batting depth. If Voges does play, he is likely to be batting for his Test future after his recent struggles.
South Australian Ferguson has averaged 41.43 in 30 one-day internationals and has a first-class average of 40.23. Ferguson has begun the domestic summer well, thumping a century at the WACA.
The spotlight Lehmann, who is also a selector, intensifies, for Australia have struggled since he was reappointed in August until the end of 2019. This extension came a year before his contract was to expire.
Despite a final-day rally, Australian cricket has much to answer after the heavy defeat to a South African side on Monday missing their captain and best batsman, A.B. de Villiers, and, for the most of the Perth Test, fast-bowling superstar, Dale Steyn.
![Australian batsman David Warner.](/web/20161108054326im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/i/m/m/w/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gsjn3m.png/1478510879825.jpg)
It was Australia's first defeat in a summer opener since losing to the West Indies at the Gabba in 1988.
This latest defeat comes after a losing 3-0 Test whitewash on the winter tour of Sri Lanka, and a 5-0 losing one-day series in South Africa, heaping more pressure on the national selectors and team performance boss, Pat Howard.
Skipper Steve Smith said Marsh, having just played before his home crowd, was devastated by the injury.
"He's been playing very well, at the moment he's pretty shattered. Hopefully, the surgery goes well and he returns soon," Smith said.
We talk about the top four going on and scoring big hundreds. We have failed to do that in our last three, four Tests.
David Warner
Australia's catching in Perth, an area highlighted for improvement on the eve of the series, was patchy, while the resting policy remains under fire, for Mitchell Starc was underdone, having been left frustrated at being prevented by sports science staff from bowling the amount of overs he had wanted to in warm-up Sheffield Shield clash. It's understood the selectors had wanted him to deliver more overs.
Since the tour of Sri Lanka began, Warner has had two opening partners, Burns and Marsh, while Usman Khawaja and Smith have also had modest returns.
Warner's past eight knocks have mustered 295 runs at 36.87 - his career average is 48.6, while Khawaja, including his fighting 97 on Monday, has 156 runs at 26 in his past six innings. He had been dropped for the final Test in Sri Lanka.
Smith, averaging 58.55 overall in Tests, has 281 runs at 35.12 in his past eight innings, while Voges, averaging 72 before this Test, has 146 runs at 18.25.
Warner and Marsh provided the ideal platform with a 158-run stand in the first innings at the WACA, with Warner making 97. But, by the time Marsh (63) became the fourth wicket to fall, that great start had been wasted, with the hosts crumbling to 4-181. In their second innings, the Australians lost their opening four wickets for 146.
"(It's) disappointing. Obviously, after the first day we were in a reasonable position to bowl the out for 240. At 1-150 odd we weren't able to capitalise from there and we weren't able to claw our our way back," Smith said.
"We have had a few collapses of late in Test cricket which have let us down when we really have been a position to drive the game. It's something that we have to look at and try and improve on."
Warner said the lack of consistent partnerships had proven costly - and this needed to change in Hobart.
"When we look at the middle order, and top order as well, we talk about the top four going on and scoring big hundreds. We have failed to do that in our last three, four Tests," he said.
"We really do need someone to do that. The middle order have to try and, obviously, work on building partnerships and that is the key to any success in Test match cricket - you have to build partnerships. We saw Elgar and Duminy do that fantastically for South Africa.
"We always are trying our best to go out there and do everything we can to build partnerships and score runs as a unit. Sometimes it just doesn't happen - that's cricket. We are athletes, we are chosen to do a job and we have to do that."
There is much for the selectors and Howard to debate, while several players are fighting to save their careers.
Mitchell Marsh was told he needed a century in the opening two Tests to save his spot. He was dismissed without scoring in the first innings in Perth and for 26 on Monday after a controversial decision review. While he bowled well, that elusive, career-stabilising ton has yet to materialise.
South African skipper Faf du Plessis has been praised for his man management, in particular how he handled debutant spinner, Keshav Maharaj. Du Plessis used him at appropriate times through the Test, and his field placings were good.
This contrasted with the criticism of Smith, whose handling of Nathan Lyon, overlooked during the crucial morning session on Saturday, was hotly debated.
Lyon took 2-38 in the first innings but was left with the worst return of his career in the second innings, finishing wicketless and conceding 146 runs off 34 overs.
Former Australian allrounder Brendon Julian said Lyon, Australia's most prolific finger spinner, had been so bad selectors should consider dropping him for the third and final Test against the Proteas in Adelaide and replace him with NSW left-arm spinner, Steve O'Keefe.
Veteran paceman Peter Siddle claimed three wickets in Perth but struggled to generate speeds of 130km/h. Two years ago, Lehmann said he needed Siddle to be in the 140km/h mark. He could be replaced by Joe Mennie, the 12th man in Perth.
The Proteas head to Hobart on the verge of claiming their third straight series win in Australia. Steyn will return home for surgery on his damaged shoulder, with bounce-king Morne Morkel or Kyle Abbott set to replace him in the XI.