All posts tagged: Jhye Richardson

Steve Smith to lead in absence of Pat Cummins; Jhye Richardson returns

Steve Smith to lead in absence of Pat Cummins; Jhye Richardson returns

Published by Webster

After a dominating show in the first three Tests, which helped Australia retain the Ashes 2025-26 series in just 11 days, the home team is all set to play an all-pace attack for the Boxing Day Test against England at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Having missed out on the Adelaide Test, Steve Smith is back in the side and will lead the unit in the absence of Pat Cummins, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes as Australia opted to include four fast bowlers in ‍its 12-man squad, with spinner Todd Murphy, brought in to replace Nathan Lyon, not finding a spot. Pacer Jhye Richardson, who has not played a Test for Australia ​since 2021, has been brought back after a fine domestic form on his return from shoulder surgery. It will be the second time in the series Australia have picked a four-pronged specialist pace attack with Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser both playing in the day-night second Test in Brisbane, the latter taking five wickets in the second …

‘We’re playing on at present are certainly more seam-friendly than spin-friendly’

‘We’re playing on at present are certainly more seam-friendly than spin-friendly’

Published by Webster

Australian stand-in skipper Steven Smith indicated that Australia may play without a specialist spinner for the Boxing Day Test on Friday. Nathan Lyon was also not part of the first two Tests of the series in Perth and Brisbane. He returned to the side in Adelaide, where he managed to scalp five wickets and played a crucial role in Australia’s win in the third Test, but injured himself and is out for the rest of the series. Although Lyon is absent, Australia does have decent spinners in their ranks. Smith said the surface at the MCG might be more conducive to seam bowling. “A lot of wickets we’re playing on at present are certainly more seam-friendly than spin-friendly,” Smith said on Thursday, speaking to the reporters. “Last week was an anomaly; we saw some rough, and we saw Nathan come into play big-time.” “It’s a tricky one. You’ve just got to play what surface you’re presented with, and this one out here looks like it’s going to offer a fair bit of assistance for the …

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Injured Mitchell Starc skips nets, Mitch Marsh’s spot for Sydney Test under scanner | Cricket News

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Injured Mitchell Starc skips nets, Mitch Marsh’s spot for Sydney Test under scanner | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Heading into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy finale on Friday, Australia are contemplating changes to the Melbourne Test-winning team with the spots of Mitch Marsh — enduring poor form — and, crucially, Mitchell Starc — nursing an injury — under scrutiny. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald conceded that Marsh ‘hasn’t been scoring as many runs as selectors would like against India’ and Beau Webster, who is in the squad, could be given a look-in. The report also added that McDonald was confident that ‘Sean Abbott or Jhye Richardson could step up if Mitchell Starc was to be ruled out of the SCG Test due to injury.’ After beating India in Melbourne to go 2-1 up in the series, Australia reached Sydney on Tuesday and had a training session on Wednesday, where Starc did not bowl in the nets. The pacer, however, said he ‘expected to play on Friday’. The report quoted a team spokesperson saying that the injury ‘is more a case of general soreness that tended to get better the …

Ahead of Sydney Test, Australia concerned about Mitchell Starc’s availability | Cricket News

Ahead of Sydney Test, Australia concerned about Mitchell Starc’s availability | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Mitchell Marsh, who has been struggling for runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is unlikely to lose his spot at Sydney with Australia selectors maintain that his fitness has nothing to do with his bowling which has been under utilized. If anything, the big concern for Australia going to the fifth and final Test at Sydney, starting on January 3 is the fitness of fast bowler Mitchell Starc. On the final day of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, Starc had issues with his back and having already lost Josh Hazlewood to an injury, another blow with the series on the line is not what the hosts ideally want at this stage. But in Beau Webster, Jhye Richardson and Sean Abbott there are back-up options in the squad, but head coach Andrew McDonald and captain Pat Cummins remain optimistic that Starc should be available at Sydney. “Anytime you get through the game, it’s always a good indicator that you’re a chance at the next game,” McDonald said. “It didn’t stop him. Clearly, there was a little …

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: ‘Jasprit Bumrah is miles ahead of any other bowler’ : Former Aussie pacer Brett Lee puts his weight behind Indian pace spearhead | Cricket News

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: ‘Jasprit Bumrah is miles ahead of any other bowler’ : Former Aussie pacer Brett Lee puts his weight behind Indian pace spearhead | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: With a total of 21 wickets in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah stands atop the leading wicket-taker in the series. With Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins having taken 14 wickets each in the series, the Indian fast bowler has made sure that there is a big gap between him and Aussie pacers in terms of wickets in this series. Former Australian pacer Brett Lee, who played in 76 Test matches and took 310 wickets for Australia, believes that the Indian pacer is miles ahead of any other bowler. “He is world class, Jasprit Bumrah. Unfortunately they had no Mohammed Shami, but I think the backing of Mohammed Siraj — there has been a bit of conjecture around him — but I think he has bowled really well. From my opinion, they have an attack that has some good pace bowlers, but the reason why people say or think he is shouldering the whole load of the attack is because he is so good. He is miles ahead of …

Australia squad update: Sam Konstas and Jhye Richardson added for MCG and SCG Tests; Nathan McSweeney axed | Cricket News

Australia squad update: Sam Konstas and Jhye Richardson added for MCG and SCG Tests; Nathan McSweeney axed | Cricket News

Published by Webster

19-year-old Sam Konstas has been added to the Australian Test squad in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy for the remaining two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. The teenage prospect scored an impressive ton against India representing the Prime Minister’s XI earlier this month in the warm-up game at Canberra. Nathan McSweeney who made his debut in Perth has had his fair share of troubles against the likes of Indian ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah as a result has been axed from the squad. “The squad provides options as to how we structure the XI for the final two Tests of the series,” said Chief Selector George Bailey on the group picked. “Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further. We remain confident Nathan (McSweeney) has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out,” he added. “It has clearly been …