Bulls lead Aussie Test charge
The glory days of Queensland cricket have returned after five Bulls were picked to lead Australia in the postball tampering era. Towering Queensland quick Brendan Doggett, allrounders Michael Neser and Marnus Labuschagne will join batsmen Matt Renshaw (above) and Usman Khawaja in the new look Australian Test team for next month’s series against Pakistan in the UAE. There has never been the potential for so many Bulls to represent Australia.
THE glory days of Queensland cricket have returned after five Bulls were picked to lead Australia in the post-ball tampering era.
Queensland quick Brendan Doggett, all-rounders Michael Neser and Marnus Labuschagne will join batsmen Matt Renshaw and Usman Khawaja in the new-look Australian Test team for next month’s series against Pakistan.
Renshaw and Khawaja are in the mix for top-order spots after the ball-tampering suspensions of captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft while Doggett, Neser and Labuschagne will go on their first Test tours.
While Queensland has had a steady stream of products in the Test arena, punctuated by the glorious careers of Allan Border and Matthew Hayden, there has never been the potential for so many Bulls to represent Australia together.
The Bulls’ resurrection has come on the back of last summer’s Sheffield Shield triumph. Queensland skipper Khawaja said it was a just reward.
“It’s a really good day for Queensland and some nice rewards for guys who deserve it,” Khawaja said.
“They’ve all performed really well over the last year. I had a feeling they were pretty close to being called up.”
Doggett, Neser and Labuschagne are the bolters among coach Justin Langer’s 15-man squad for the two-Test series in the United Arab Emirates.
Doggett, 24, can bowl 150km/h thunderbolts.
Gold Coaster Neser, 28, has been one of the Shield and Big Bash League’s most consistent all-rounders over the past few seasons.
South African-born Labuschagne, 24, caught the eye of selectors with two centuries late in the Shield season and impressed Langer with his work ethic.
Khawaja, with 33 Tests, is now one of the most experienced players in the squad.
The first Test begins in Dubai on October 7 before the series moves to Abu Dhabi on October 16.