Pace pair may miss first Test

BOTH of Australia’s pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood could miss the first Ashes Test with fast bowler James Pattinson set to make his international return at Edgbaston.

After confirming batsman Usman Khawaja had passed all the fitness tests required on his injured hamstring to take his place, Australian coach Justin Langer said the selection battle would turn to the bowlers.

Veteran seamer Peter Siddle is also in line to join Pattinson and Cummins in the Australian attack, meaning one or both of Starc and Hazlewood won’t play when the first Test starts tomorrow night (AEST).

Langer said he was “very close” to being settled on the final Australian XI with Cameron Bancroft tipped to join David Warner at the top of the order instead of Marcus Harris. That would reunite all three players banned for their role in the sandpaper scandal, at the first possible opportunity.

“The opening partnership is going to be really hard. Marcus Harris and Cameron, they have both got a really strong case,” Langer said earlier.

“Then the fast-bowling spots, there are three to be fair, Starcy, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle for one spot. They are three pretty good players to find a spot for.

“We’ll talk to the boys in the next day or so and solidify the 12 anyway so everyone is really clear where we are at.”

Langer said Pattinson’s comeback story was a feel-good one for everyone in Australian cricket.

“It’s just nice to see him back, coming back from where he was as a young bowler, the back surgery to more than likely being selected for this Test match — it’s a great story,” Langer said.

He said there would be opportunities for the bowlers who missed the first Test throughout the series, but said they were not being rotated.

“We’ll pick the best three or four for every game we play,” he said. “Lord’s is very different to here, Old Trafford will be different. We won’t rotate them per se, but we will pick the best three, probably not four, for every game.”

Matthew Wade and Marnus Labuschagne are both in the running to bat at No.6, with Wade the frontrunner to make his Test return after two years.