Michael Carberry has emerged as the favourite to open for England in the first Test, with Joe Root set for an Ashes demotion in Brisbane.
Root was bumped down to No.5 for England’s tour match against Australia A in Hobart on Wednesday.
Carberry, a 33-year-old one-Test wonder, has more than grabbed his chance after being given the nod to partner captain Alastair Cook for the four-day Ashes warm-up match.
Carberry has moved strongly towards a hundred, while Cook, returning from a back complaint, has also been played into form by a short-staffed Australia A attack.
At tea on day one, England were 0-196 from 61 overs after winning the toss, with Cook 97 not out and Carberry unbeaten on 94.
Root is due in at No.5 with run-machine Ian Bell rested from the match.
England have reacted to a poor showing by their top three during the UK Ashes Tour in the winter, with Root the victim.
On six occasions, England were three down for less than 65 runs and, aside from a big 180 at Lord’s, Root struggled against Australian quicks Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle.
Shane Warne said on Monday that Root would be “crucified” if he was picked to open.
However, Root is one of the most promising young batsmen in Test cricket, averaging 40 with two centuries from just 11 matches.
He has an outstanding county record as an opener for Yorkshire.
The 22-year-old is a certainty to play somewhere in the team, but England’s decision to protect him lower in the order will test the confidence of a self-assured young cricketer.
Another other possible motivation for a move down the order is England’s inability to settle on a viable No.6.
Jonny Bairstow was a weak link during the last Ashes before being dropped for the fifth Test, and Gary Ballance made a golden duck in England’s tour opener against a Western Australia second XI last week.
Carberry outscored Root against the WA XI, making 78, and England still have one more tour match before the Brisbane Test, against an Invitation XI in Sydney starting next Wednesday.
The Australia A attack features just two recognised seamers along with allrounder and captain Moises Henriques.
It was a deliberate tactic by Australia not to pick bowlers in Ashes contention for this match, however the plan might have backfired – with England’s openers given an armchair ride into the coming series.
NSW quick Trent Copeland had figures of 0-49 from 15 overs and Queensland pace bowler Ben Cutting 0-35 from 15.
Cutting had a lbw shout each on Cook and Carberry, but they were turned down for pitching outside the line.
Henriques only returned from the one-day tour of India on Monday.
Spinners Jon Holland and Glenn Maxwell haven’t looked like making a breakthrough.