BIRD STILL IN THE MIX
Tassie quick may get second chance after MCG nightmare
JACKSON Bird remains in the frame for a second chance in Sydney after the Boxing Day horror show, amid expectations of a green and lively SCG pitch.
Australia won’t be making any determinations on the make-up of its bowling attack until Mitchell Starc has had a chance to prove his fitness and captain Steve Smith has inspected a mystery wicket that hasn’t hosted a Sheffield Shield match all summer.
Bird experienced any fast bowler’s nightmare when he went 0-108 from 30 overs at the MCG, but it would be a shame if a pitch widely agreed upon as a disgrace by both teams was to end the career of an otherwise consistent Test match performer.
Selectors will be worried about pushing Starc before his bruised heel has fully settled down.
They may be equally anxious to have another look at Bird and find out on a decent pitch whether he deserves to remain the back-up bowler in South Africa, or whether they need to look elsewhere before selecting the squad later this month.
In spicy conditions as will be anticipated in South Africa, Bird is renowned for being able to nibble the ball around as does Proteas swing star Vernon Philander — but if selectors do not feel as though he is up to it, then they would have to look to Chadd Sayers or try to rush a completely unprepared Nathan Coulter-Nile back to long-form cricket.
Starc will be desperate to play on his home deck n Sydney and, after running in Melbourne on Saturday, he will aim to bowl in Australia’s main session tomorrow.
If the pitch in Sydney turns out to be drier than expected, Ashton Agar is in the squad and hopeful of being selected for his first Test match in Australia as a spin partner for Nathan Lyon.
Agar made the frank admission yesterday that he did not feel right with his bowling when he made his famed Test debut against England at Trent Bridge in 2013. However, rather than looking back on it as a scarring experience, the 24-year-old believes his baptism of fire has helped mature him into a young left-arm spinner ready to take his opportunity.
“I can honestly say now I felt things starting to go wrong, probably just before I got picked before the [Australia] A series [that preceded the 2013 Ashes],” he said.
“Not go wrong, but they just didn’t feel right and I was a kid.
“I was 19, and I’d started really well in my shield career before I got picked, so I completely understand and I’m certainly better for that experience. I don’t know if I’m going to play yet and I guess that’s probably dependent on the pitch. I’d love to play a game in front of my home crowd.”
Agar missed the first few shield games as he recovered from a broken finger, and he only has the one firstclass match under his belt this summer.
The all-round star has been on fire in the Big Bash League, and strangely enough, he feels playing blockbuster sellouts for the Perth Scorchers is ideal preparation for a possible start against England at an SCG that should be full to the brim for almost four days.