Border eyes the future

With a number of Australia's top internationals nearing the end of their careers over the next couple of years, the forthcoming Top End series takes on greater importance as an opportunity for younger emerging players to stake their claim to the national side. So believes Allan Border, recently restored to the national selection panel.

The series, due to begin shortly, is being played between A teams from India, Pakistan, New Zealand and hosts Australia in Darwin and Cairns and according to Border, it could not have come at a more opportune moment.

Border believes performances over the next couple of years will help determine whether some of Australia's older stars will be pushed out or go of their own accord. "That depends on the performance of the team generally and how good our young players are, and whether they're pushing these guys," Border told The Age.

Some of the A team players have already played Test cricket, all in the aftermath of the Ashes loss last year. Brad Hodge, Phil Jaques, Dan Cullen, Stuart Clark and Michael Hussey all toured Pakistan with the A team last October and have made their Test debuts since. Some - such as Hussey and Clark - have been immensely successful and become regulars.

And, with the summer's Ashes and next year's World Cup expected to be among the last great challenges for Australia's champion team, there can hardly be a better chance for Australia's emerging players to make themselves irresistible.

Others such as Shaun Tait, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson will also be keen to put forth their international credentials. Border, at least, takes heart from the strength of Australia's back-up.

"I'm very excited about the talent pool we've got. What we realise is that Warne, (Glenn) McGrath, (Adam) Gilchrist ... and all these players, they're in our best ever sides. But when Shane Warne started playing, I don't think we envisaged a 700-wicket Test cricketer, and I played in his first Test match.

"There are probably players out there right now that maybe fit that bill and we don't know it yet. That will be the exciting process over the next couple of years."