Fifth Test is Australia’s ‘Grand Final’ even with Ashes retained, says Paine
Australia have been filming a flyon-the-wall documentary during this Ashes campaign and now the fifth Test – one their captain, Tim Paine, has dubbed a “Grand Final” – is a chance to hand the editors a flourish for the last episode.
As well as the head coach, Justin Langer, Paine has drawn on the experience of the team’s mentor Steve Waugh and can match the feat the pair savoured in 2001: with the urn secured at 2-1 up, sights are set on the away series win.
“We’re very hungry,” Paine said. “Last week’s result at Old Trafford was brilliant but all the guys know this is bigger, this is our Grand Final. We want this Test just as much as any other in this series.”
On the input of Waugh, Langer and Ricky Ponting – another Australian great who was a mentor for the World Cup and has dipped into the set-up since – Paine said: “You get a lot of wisdom. They are guys who have been through what we are going through and can pass on tips to keep things in perspective. They are types of characters who make guys feel good about themselves and invincible. They have been valuable for me as a captain as well.”
Australia have confirmed at least one change to their XI, dropping the middle-order batsman Travis Head – a vice-captain – and bringing in Mitch Marsh as an all-rounder who can ease the workload for their tiring quicks. Peter Siddle is also in the 12 should either Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood need a proper breather.
Marsh, a childhood friend of his similarly recalled opposite number Sam Curran, made two centuries during the 2017-18 Ashes win but was dropped in January amid a low-key Australian summer and instructions to improve his fitness.
“Mitch got some pretty honest feedback when he was dropped,” Paine said. “He had a choice to make: either to sulk about it or to do something about it, and Mitch at the moment is as fit as we’ve seen him. And during this Ashes, even watching Ben Stokes go about it, we’ve constantly spoken to him about him being at that level of fitness where you can bowl 25, 30 overs and then come out and score a hundred.
“That’s something that Mitch has watched up close and is aspiring to. If you’re a boy the size he is, it’s hard to run in all day when you’re carrying a few extra kilos. He’s worked hard to work them off.”
Asked about Head, a left-hander who has struggled this series but not to the same extent as the retained David Warner, Paine replied: “We just needed the extra bowling. He’s played 12 Tests with a healthy average [42]. He’s a gun player with a big future. We’ll go back to Australia and there’s no doubt he’s among our top seven batsmen.”