Langer says Jaques will have to wait

Justin Langer has hit out at critics who have suggested he should be replaced in the Test team by the in-form Phil Jaques. While Langer's place for the first Test at Brisbane was not in serious doubt, there has been a push for Jaques to be considered after scoring two centuries in a week against England.

"There's been a lot made of it and it is frustrating," Langer told AAP. "Invariably it's going to happen, I know that. It's always been the way, my whole career. Some people think Matthew Elliott should have opened for Australia when I was doing it, or batting No. 3, or Greg Blewett or Michael Slater.

"At the moment it's Phil Jaques, he is a fantastic player, he is a run machine. He is going to be a very good Test player in the future - but hopefully it's not this first Test against England. Phil Jaques is batting so brilliantly well at the moment, but unfortunately for him there's only 11 spots in the team. I hope he doesn't take my spot, but I appreciate the pressure he's putting on us, because it keeps us all on our toes."

A www.baggygreen.com.au survey showed fans were almost split on whether Jaques should play in the first Test. At 10.30am 50.5% of the 14,000 votes were in favour of Jaques being included at the Gabba.

Langer, who turns 36 next week and is the oldest batsman in the Australia team, made 67 for Western Australia against Queensland but has failed to reach 50 in his last ten Test innings. "I will admit I was nervous going into this [Pura Cup] game because of the speculation but at the same time I've dealt with it for ten years," he said. "That's what has helped me to become a good Test cricketer because I've been able to be a mentally tough player to get through those distractions. With all the speculation going on the night before this game I just had to get on with it and just bat and relax."