Jhye has form to sneak in
JHYE Richardson is snapping at Mitchell Starc’s heels as Australia keeps the door open for a shock at the Gabba.
Selection boss George Bailey is backing the World Cup big three of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc to be ready by December 8, but it will be hard to ignore the redball form of Richardson.
Travis Head versus Usman Khawaja is the only other question yet to be answered in the Australian XI to face England in the first Test, but while Bailey knows which way he is leaning on that front, the make-up of the final bowling attack is still wide open.
In Starc’s favour is the fact he must be picked for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide which follows, but Richardson’s last-start eightwicket Sheffield Shield blitz at the Gabba has set tongues wagging.
“I’m getting pretty excited by Jhye,” Bailey said. “Physically I think he looks as strong as I’ve ever seen him.
“And I just like the fact he’s had a couple of niggles and he’s worked his way back from those, so he’s starting to build some resilience into his body.
“That Gabba game, I think he’s worked his way into the last three Shield games quite nicely, but one particular spell on the morning of day two was really impressive where he ended up getting the wickets of Marnus (Labuschagne) and Joe Burns, who both commented that it was impressive, impressive quality.”
He said the fact Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc had not played first-class cricket since the Gabba Test at the start of the year did not concern him, however the way the bowling attack finished the summer against India might.
Had Australia toured South Africa, Starc may have struggled to hold his place, but it would still be a brave call to leave out the champion leftarmer who is a proven wicket-taking matchwinner and a man who can also aid the performances of Nathan Lyon bowling into his footmarks.
“They’re professionals. They’ll work through (their workloads), but I’m expecting them all to be raring to go,” Bailey said. South Australia and Queensland play a Sheffield Shield match starting on November 23, which could be key in the Head versus Khawaja battle for the No.5 spot.
Although Bailey says he already knows who he is leaning towards out of the pair, a big score could be decisive.
Marcus Harris is locked in as David Warner’s opening partner and captain Tim Paine is on track to prove his fitness after neck surgery.