RIVALRY ERUPTS ON COAST PITCHES
THE ASHES MAY START IN BRISBANE TODAY BUT IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE CRICKETING WAR THAT COULD EXPLODE ON GOLD COAST PITCHES OVER SUMMER. CRICKET GOLD COAST’S FIRST GRADE COMPETITION INCLUDES ABOUT 15 ENGLISH PLAYERS – A FACT NOT LOST ON BURLEIGH’S ENGLISHMAN SIMON BELSTON AND AUSSIE AND QUEENS PLAYER SAM WINTON.
GLENN Maxwell has stormed into contention to play in the first Test today after Shaun Marsh sparked a fresh Ashes drama by joining David Warner on the injury watch list.
Marsh complained of back stiffness in the nets yesterday and while it’s understood he is confident of being right, he will have to be assessed in the morning.
The fact Marsh has a long history of back problems means Australia must seriously weigh up whether they can risk the left-hander for such a crucial battle.
Warner looks highly likely to play but to have two members of the top six under a cloud on the eve of the first Test is a potential disaster for an Australian side who, 48 hours ago, thought their preparations were on track.
It will be a challenge for captain Steve Smith to keep his side focused and settled.
Maxwell arrived in Brisbane early last night on standby for both players and after being axed from the original squad last week, his debut on home soil is suddenly firmly on the cards as he vies to shed his tag as a subcontinental specialist.
There have been constant doubts cast over Maxwell’s ability to handle the short ball on bouncy, home pitches, but finally selectors are willing to back his all-round skill and impressive first-class record, dismissing theories he was on the outer and had his cards marked for this summer.
Marsh seized up with a jarred back in the last Test match he played in Dharamsala this year and he was barely able to move when he went out to the crease.
“I just hope his (Marsh) body gets through the summer. That’s been his achilles heel,” Nine commentator Michael Slater said last week.
The Australian camp is confident Warner will be fit to
play, with Test great Merv Hughes tipping the vice-captain to back up his pre-series aggression and fight like a “pitbull in the junkyard”.
“He’s very confident and he says he’ll be right to go,” skipper Steve Smith said.
“He’ll be OK. It’s part and parcel of playing cricket. Guys have injuries every now and then, and have little niggles.
“He said he’ll even bat like Shivnarine Chanderpaul (famous for his front-on stance at the crease) if he has to.
“He’s improved a fair bit over the last 24 hours and hopefully he can keep improving and be 100 per cent at 10am.”
Test great Hughes, no stranger to getting in the face of English batsmen, predicted Warner would live up to the hype and lead from the front.
“I love Davey Warner when he’s barking. He’s not the little chihuahua in the front yard that he barks and barks and barks and when someone jumps the fence he runs off to the backyard. He’s a pitbull in the junk yard,” said Hughes.