Veteran WA batsman Michael Klinger is set to face the same fate as NSW’s Ed Cowan, with the presence of numerous top-order Ashes candidates likely to push him out of Sheffield Shield contention this week.

Klinger, 37, has not missed a match for the Warriors since moving to Perth four years ago, but tough competition for Ashes places is likely to see him omitted from the team to play Tasmania at the WACA Ground on Thursday.

As WA coach Justin Langer identified “character and nerve” as the attributes required for a State batsman to secure the No.6 Test place, he admitted it was “crunch time” for WA’s selectors.

“There will be some headaches and some really tough decisions,” Langer said. “We have been thinking about it for months but it is now crunch time and we will have to have a serious and formal discussion now.”

Camera Icon Michael Klinger is set to be left out of WA’s Sheffield Shield line up. Credit: The West Australian

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Klinger and Cowan, 35, are the two leading shield run scorers of the past decade.

Cowan was dropped from the Blues team yesterday, while Klinger, who scored two centuries in WA’s successful JLT Cup campaign and represented Australia at the end of last season, is likely to make way for the returning Marcus Stoinis.

Every member of the WA top six is a candidate to play in the Ashes while specialist wicket-keeper Josh Inglis is likely to return at No.7, meaning that one batsman must miss out.

“Seven into six will provide a challenge,” Langer said.

“We also know how important our fast bowlers have been and we have a few on the park, so there are a few question marks.

Camera Icon Klinger celebrates the Big Bash win with his kids. Credit: The West Australian

“Everyone has been telling me for months about the headaches we are going to face at selection.

“I hope we have some head-aches, though usually it works itself out.”

Langer said he had never seen brothers Mitch and Shaun Marsh bat better, while Hilton Cartwright, Stoinis and Cam Bancroft are in the frame for Ashes selection.

NSW have the same selection dilemma issue with Steve Smith and David Warner automatic Test selections while Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson are candidates for No.6.

The national selectors also now have the power to insist a player is selected at State level, which may explain why promising opener Daniel Hughes was preferred to Cowan.

Langer said he was eager to see the candidates battle it out.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the competition for spots,” he said. “It is going to take some real strength and steel and it will be interesting to see who has the character and nerve to take the position.”

Likely WA team: Shaun Marsh, Cam Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Mitch Marsh (capt.), Ashton Turner, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, D’Arcy Short, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, David Moody, Simon Mackin (12th to be named).