Jake Weatherald and Matt Renshaw were on tenterhooks last night as they awaited a call to find out whether they had made it into Australia’s extended squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth later this month.

Sam Konstas was also waiting by the phone, albeit more in hope than expectation, after an undulating start to the domestic season for the incumbent Test opener.

Sources close to Konstas, speaking on condition of anonymity because the squad had not been officially named yet, were not optimistic about the 20-year-old keeping his place in the team, with selectors likely to call upon a more seasoned figure to take a proactive role at the top.

But one figure with knowledge of selection discussions described the choice between Renshaw, 29, and Weatherald, 31, as a “knife-edge”.

Both Rens

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