More short stuff at Adelaide: Lehmann
BRISBANE: Australia’s fast bowlers will once again pepper England’s middle and lower order batsmen with short-pitched deliveries on a lively track in the day-night second Ashes Test in Adelaide, said coach Darren Lehmann.
The Australian pacemen tormented England’s lower order with bouncers on the fourth day in Brisbane to set up the hosts’ 10-wicket win in the opener.
The barrage was reminiscent of the preceding home series in 2013/14, when the Mitchell Johnson-led pace battery mowed through England’s tail repeatedly to help secure a 5-0 whitewash for the hosts.
“(Bowling short) certainly hasn’t changed from four years ago,” Lehmann told reporters ahead of the second Test on Saturday. “It’s a bit different in Australia than England where grounds are smaller and you can’t really get away with it, on bigger grounds you can. So that’s one for us that we see as an advantage.
“They did it quite a lot to us as well, it’s a ploy a lot of people do now. At the back end when the wicket quickened up and we could go after them a bit harder was helpful. That’s the blueprint, it’s no secret we’re going to attack their middle and lower order like that.”
Mitchell Starc had asked for a bit more pace from the wickets after Gabba served up a docile surface and according to Lehmann his wish could get fulfilled with the pink ball at Adelaide .
“It’s a fascinating Test match, there’s a lot of talk about it’ll seam and it’ll swing,” Lehmann said, adding that Australia’s experience of playing day-night Tests in the past would come handy.
“The ball stays pretty good, but you can make runs if you play well as per normal. It does quicken up at night, probably the fastest wicket around Australia.”