Ashes door opens for unlucky WA quick
WEST Australian fast bowler Jhye Richardson is hoping to avoid “another hiccup” before a possible Ashes call-up after the shock retirement of fast bowler James Pattinson put a focus on the next in line.
Struggling to overcome a knee injury ahead of the domestic season start for Victoria, 31-year-old Pattinson made the decision to rule himself out of Test selection and “focus more on Victoria”.
Richardson, who has played two Tests, both against Sri Lanka in 2019, overcame early back spasms in his Sheffield Shield return for WA this week to take two secondinnings wickets in the loss to Tasmania.
The 25-year-old would be in a group that includes Queensland’s Michael Neser and NSW’s Sean Abbott as potential inclusions for the Ashes squad.
“I was walking back to my mark and (the back) just seized up and I couldn’t move,” Richardson
said of the spasms that forced him to miss a day’s play.
The speedster now has his focus on WA’s next Shield match, which will begin next Wednesday against South Australia, knowing more solid performances could put him in the Ashes frame.
“It’s great to think about,” Richardson said.