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Even Starc’s skipper isn’t safe in nets
MITCHELL Starc had Australian captain Steve Smith ducking and diving yesterday, when three of Australia’s premier pacemen tore into two of the nation’s best batsmen.
Smith and his vice-captain, David Warner, got a taste of what England can expect in the Ashes series starting later this month.
In a feisty NSW net session at the SCG, Smith and Warner faced up to the likely Australian first Test pace attack of Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Smith ended up on his backside trying to evade one Starc bouncer and swayed away quickly from another sizzling bouncer.
Hazlewood said it usually became willing when the Test quicks bowled to their batting colleagues.
“Especially Starcy against Smithy, it’s always good fun,” Hazlewood said. “They [Smith and Warner] are obviously two world-class players, so it always keeps you on your toes and makes sure you get everything out of the session.
“There’s no real going through the motions when you are bowling at those two guys.”
PERENNIAL Test 12th man Jackson Bird is under no illusions on where he sits in Australia’s fast bowling cartel, but has declared he is ready to rumble should be he called upon.
The consistent Tasmanian seamer appears certain to be named in the country’s first Test squad for the Ashes opener at the Gabba in a fortnight, having been pulled from next week’s round of Sheffield Shield action. He will join Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in Brisbane next week instead for a training camp at the National Cricket Centre — a clear indication that selectors have all but decided on the bowling unit.
However unless injury strikes down one of the NSW trio, Bird expects to again be carrying the drinks against England.
It is a scenario he has become accustomed to, having been on tour with the national side for the past seven overseas Test series but only getting one game in two of them — the 2013 Ashes and a match against New Zealand last year, where he took a maiden five-wicket haul in Christchurch.
“If those guys are all fit at the start of the Test match, they more than likely will play,” Bird said.
“I have no issues with that, those guys are three of the best fast bowlers in the world when they are up and running.
“I suppose the tricky thing being the reserve quick is you have to prepare as if you are going to play just in case anything does go wrong.
“I am under no illusions I guess of where I sit in that pecking order. I know I am behind those guys, but there has been a lot of injuries around over the last 12 months, so I will be ready to go if one of those guys gets injured.”
While Tasmania has crashed to a pair of disappointing losses to open the Shield campaign, Bird has impressed with the ball.
He leads the Tigers with 10 wickets at 22.8 and felt improvement with every innings.
“The ball feels like it is coming out really nice and I feel I have been getting decent pace off the wicket,” he said. “I am happy from an individual perspective. I think I have got more and more rhythm as the Shield season has gone on.
“It is disappointing I can’t play for Tassie [against Victoria starting Monday]. We haven’t started the season the way we would have liked, but there is a good chance next week to change that.”
Meanwhile, Bird’s fellow quick Josh Hazlewood has declared himself ready for Ashes combat after one Sheffield Shield game.
Hazlewood has bowled only 43 overs in competitive cricket since returning from a side strain that forced him to return early from Australia’s tour of Bangladesh in late August. Hazlewood bowled 10 overs in a Sydney club game and 33 in his first-class comeback for NSW against WA in Sydney, taking 3-49 and 3-24.
“I felt the rhythm early on, things went pretty well the whole game,” Hazlewood said yesterday.
“From ball one, I was surprised how well the ball was coming out, how good the run-up felt, how good everything felt in general, so I’m pretty happy with where it’s at now. So I don’t think there’s a need to play another game, I think I’m ready to go now.”