CUMMINS AND GOINGS

leave Will Pucovski on the outer when it appeared he too would make his debut was also odd.

MISFIRING BOWLERS

When in form Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are one of the best new-ball pairings in the world.

But for much of the summer both were misfiring and it was left to Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to pick up the pieces.

Starc was wayward, hardly swung the new ball and was down on pace against India with 13 wickets at 34.53.

Hazlewood’s back injury did not allow him to have a go at a poor Sri Lankan side where he could have regained some form. He too struggled against India, with 13 wickets at 30.61.

Starc did redeem himself somewhat against Sri Lanka, snaring his first 10-wicket haul since August 2016 in the second Test to be named man of the match.

He will need to keep that form going come the Ashes, otherwise the likes of Jhye Richardson could sneak past him into the pace trio.

ASHES PREPARATION

The Australian summer began badly for the Test team but ended with a bang, winning a Test series 2-0.

But for all the bravado after defeating Sri Lanka, the win must be put into context, coming as it did against one of the worst teams to come from that country.

In the series against India, the tourists’ quicks once again exposed Australia’s inability to bat against the moving ball. That too was also clear to see against a much weaker Sri Lankan attack.

Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Kurtis Patterson and Travis Head all scored hundreds against Sri Lanka but that probably only threw up more questions than answers ahead of the Ashes … which don’t begin until August 1 at Edgbaston.

Between now and then Australia has no Test cricket, with the only red-ball cricket available to Ashes aspirants, the second half of the Shield season and perhaps a stint for one or two candidates for a Test spot in county cricket in England.

That’s hardly ideal preparation for an Australian team looking to win a series in England for the first time since 2001.