The Australian Cricket Board on Friday announced a 13 man squad for the first Two Ashes Test with a surprise inclusion of wicket-keeper batsman Tim Paine. Paine’s inclusion to the squad came as a surprise for cricket pundits and experts. Paine was chosen ahead of out of form Matthew Wade and Peter Nevill who was the favourite to be picked and keep the stumps for Australia.
Paine has played just four Tests for Australia making his first appearance for the national team back in 2009. He made his Test debut in 2010 and also played his last Test in the same year. Paine was not one considered as the front-runner to be selected, but his recent performances made the selectors change their mind.
Paine scored a half-century in a warm-up match against England and then kept wickets playing for Cricket Australia XI. In his most recent performance, Paine scored 71 runs against Victoria playing as a frontline batsman.
Australia Ashes Squad– Steven Smith (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.
Paine’s selection in the team has had a mixed reaction from the Australian fans as they took to Twitter to express their views. Let’s have a look at the Twitter reactions.
https://twitter.com/PeterAddley/status/931088004604510208
Tim Paine has kept in Australia’s last 7 T20 internationals. He was always on the radar. Selection doesn’t appear to be as much of a shock as we all may think it is.
Would have taken over from Haddin, if not for finger. Brave selection. Love it.
— Theo Doropoulos (@TheoDrop) November 16, 2017
Darren Lehmann has scored a Sheffield Shield ton (2007) more recently than Tim Paine (2006)….. ?
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) November 16, 2017
Tim Paine is one of my favourite cricketers. But while the whispers were pretty strong over the last month, this is truly one of the great Test selection shocks of all time!
— Adam White (@White_Adam) November 16, 2017
Tim Paine tipped as Ashes wicketkeeper? Hasn't made a first-class hundred since 2006. Has kept wicket in 3 Shield games in past 2 years. Extraordinary. https://t.co/iuTRZvi7FA
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) November 16, 2017
In the 78 Tests since Tim Paine's last Test for Australia, there have only been 5 wicket-keeper scores in excess of his highest Test score of 92.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 16, 2017
Tim Paine and Shaun Marsh, how the Fark do these selectors keep their jobs. Next in line no doubt is Jordan Silk
— Leigh Jones (@leighjones0212) November 16, 2017
Tim Paine is back in the squad. Last time he played a Test: Kohli, Warner, Williamson weren't Test cricketers. Smith didn't have a century. Snapchat didn't exist. Obama hadn't completed his first term. Gillard was still the Aussie PM. #LongTime
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 17, 2017
I watched Tim Paine make a ton against England at Trent Bridge once & it was brilliant.
Granted it was in 2009 and in an ODI…. but the bloke is a jet. Class is permanent. Super happy for him.— Matt Somerford (@somerfjord) November 17, 2017
Ashes selection bombshell. Peter Nevill is not picked. Tim Paine will play Brisbane. Stunning …
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 16, 2017
On another topic, I feel for Tim Paine. Bloke is getting nailed from all quarters.. not his fault he was picked for Australia!!
— Charles Dagnall (@CharlesDagnall) November 17, 2017