Australia have announced a 12-man squad for the second Ashes Test which is set to begin on Wednesday, August 14 at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground in London.
Fast bowler James Pattinson, who claimed two wickets in the Ashes opener, has been left out while Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are in contention for a place in the playing XI. Pattinson failed to pick any wicket in England’s second innings as Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon combined to take all the wickets, helping the visitors go 1-0 up in the five-match series with an emphatic 251-run victory.
Speaking on the eve of the Lord’s Test, Australian captain Tim Paine said that they will be managing the workload of their five or six bowlers to keep them fit and fresh for this tour as well as a period of “next three or four years”.
“We want to make sure the five or six bowlers we’ve got here have the next three or four years bowling as a group together,” Paine was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“There will be some management as part of that at some stage,” Paine added.
Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson said he would pick Starc over Pattinson for the second Test.
“I’d go for Starc and probably have Pattinson out,” Johnson was quoted by cricket.com.au as saying on the latest episode of The Unplayable Podcast.
“As much as I want to see (Josh) Hazlewood go well you can’t drop Sidds.
“He’s been really useful and especially on the slope I think he’d be very good and he just backed up (off-spinner Nathan) Lyon really well.
“And (Pat) Cummins is in his own little world, just leave him be.
Johnson continued: “It’s hard to change a winning side but I’d like to see Starc still come charging in”.
Australia’s 12-man squad for the Lord’s Test:
BREAKING: Australia's XII for the Lord's Test:
Tim Paine (c/wk), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood #Ashes
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 13, 2019
Tim Paine (c/wk), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
