Expect fireworks from pacers in Adelaide, Lehmann warns tourists
Australia coach Darren Lehmann has warned England to expect more hostility from the home pace attack as they switch from Brisbane to Adelaide for the second Test.
Joe Root’s tourists faltered to a ten-wicket defeat after they failed to sustain an encouraging start at the Gabba, where the pitch was much slower than anyone expected at a venue renowned for its pace and bounce.
Lehmann is anticipating a quicker surface, however, at the Adelaide Oval – which will stage the inaugural day-night Ashes Test from Saturday.
As the hosts arrived in the South Australia capital, Lehmann was asked at an airport press conference if he believed seamers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will find the same assistance they eventually did in Brisbane.
“I think we’ll get more,” he said. “There’s a bit more pace and bounce in the wicket… it was the quickest wicket last year, so I hope that’s a good sign for us.”
England were competitive for two and a half days at the Gabba, before Australia’s victory surge culminated in wide-margin superiority.
Lehmann added: “I thought [England] played well at times… but certainly when the wicket quickened up it played in our favour.
“I hope [this one] has got some pace and bounce in it.”
Australia have the option of picking Chadd Sayers for a “horses-for-courses” Test debut on his home ground, and Lehmann, pictured, does not discount the possibility of drafting the seamer in this week.
“He’s done really well,” he said. “His record is outstanding in Adelaide – we’ll look at the conditions and see how the big three pull up.” England’s disappointment in Brisbane was compounded by revelations about the friendly “head-butt” greeting Jonny Bairstow had administered to Australia opener Cameron Bancroft when the pair first met in a Perth bar at the start of the Ashes tour a month ago.
No disciplinary action will be taken against the wicketkeeper by team management. But it did allow Australia to try to put him off his game in the second innings, by reminding him of his strange gesture, and then Bancroft to delight a postmatch press conference with his comedic recollections of Bairstow’s social faux pas.
Lehmann does not expect the incident to sour relations between the teams, though.
“It’ll be fine,” he said. “That was one of the best press conferences you’ll see. That gave me a good giggle, good banter. Both sides will play it hard, there’s no doubt about it.”