Aussies going for spin

AUSTRALIA’S desperation to play a seaming all-rounder is set to result in a double change with a specialist spinner likely to join either Marcus Stoinis or Mitchell Marsh in the World Cup line-up.

The Aussies dropped legspinner Adam Zampa when Stoinis went down with a side strain and have backed in parttime offspinner Glenn Maxwell as the only tweaker in the past two matches.

But captain Aaron Finch was forced to bowl against Pakistan when Mohammad Hafeez got hold of Maxwell, with Stoinis’s absence throwing out the team balance.

With Maxwell and Finch relied on to bowl 10 overs each, the increased number of spin overs contributed to Zampa’s axing.

Test great Nathan Lyon also remains on the bench as the only unused member of Australia’s 15-man squad after five games.

But if Stoinis or Marsh is selected to face Bangladesh tomorrow then a specialist spinner is also like to come in, at the expense of a fast bowler.

Selectors will drop either Shaun Marsh or Usman Khawaja for the all-rounder and either Jason Behrendorff or Kane Richardson for a spinner.

“At the moment we’re still trying to find that best XI,” assistant coach Brad Haddin said.

“Marcus’s injury has thrown a spanner in with how important an all-rounder is.

“We’re still trying to find what best works for us.

“Come later in the tournament we’ll start to understand what the conditions are like a lot better and what is our best XI.”

Stoinis was due to bowl off a long run-up overnight in a fitness test likely to decide whether he is replaced in Australia’s World Cup squad by Mitchell Marsh.

He had on a secret twohour training session on Monday, where he bowled about 25 balls off either a standing or a 10-step run-up to keep his hopes of returning from a lowgrade side strain alive.

News Corp was at the session, which was kept hidden by team management, as Stoinis, Marsh and Nathan CoulterNile all batted and bowled in the Trent Bridge nets.

The rest of the squad was given the day off.

Stoinis bowled pain-free and was in good spirits, but was aware his test was to come last night.

It also emerged Mitchell Marsh had been told he was certain to play his first competitive game in three months tomorrow.

If Marsh does not replace Stoinis in Australia’s World Cup squad and bat at No.6 against Bangladesh, he will travel an hour south to play for Australia A against Northamptonshire.