Voges: ‘Their focus is on Thursday now’0:45
Cricket: Former Australian player Adam Voges has said the war of words that has started ahead of The Ashes will not distract the players at all.
Voges: ‘Their focus is on Thursday now’ Australia’s bowling attack for The Ashes, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ahead of the first Ashes Test match starting tomorrow at the GABBA in Brisbane. Picture. Phil Hillyard
AUSTRALIA again have an unsettled XI for the Ashes opener, this time because of David Warner’s untimely neck injury that has prompted selectors to summon Glenn Maxwell to Brisbane.
The selection debate is back on, having raged so robustly over the past month — culminating in one of the hardest meetings Trevor Hohns had chaired. Ten players spearheading their nation’s bid to reclaim the urn, which begins on Thursday in Brisbane, are locked in — barring any last-minute mishaps. But it remains to be seen whether Warner, who remains restricted by his stiff neck but very confident he will face England after batting in the nets on Wednesday, will take his place at the top of the order.
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Australia’s bowling attack for The Ashes, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins Picture. Phil HillyardSource:News Corp Australia
The vice-captain will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness but, if Hohns and team medicos decide Warner isn’t fit enough to feature in the first Test, Shaun Marsh will open alongside Cameron Bancroft.
Maxwell would be asked to bat at No. 6 in his first Test on home soil — a week after being overlooked in favour of Marsh and a day after dashing to Melbourne Airport on short notice.
“He said he’ll even bat like Shivnarine Chanderpaul if he has to,” skipper Steve Smith said of Warner, referencing the West Indian’s unique face-on technique that makes his own look orthodox.
“He’s very confident and he says he’ll be right to go.
“He’ll be OK. It’s part and parcel of playing cricket. Guys have injuries every now and then, and have little niggles.
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“He’s improved a fair bit over the last 24 hours and, hopefully, he can keep improving and be 100 per cent at 10am.” Barring any dramatic improvements overnight, it will be somewhat of a calculated gamble to select Warner, with the worst-case scenario being for him to play then retire hurt shortly after the toss.
Australian Test debutant Cameron Bancroft is seen inspecting the pitch as curators look on during the Australian team training session at the GabbaSource:AAP
Equally, the hosts will be desperate for Warner to play because of his ability to change the game in a single session.
“I’m sure he will be fine,” England captain Joe Root said.
“These sort of things tend to crop up before a big series but I don’t think we need to change our plans on anything. We’ll still prepare the same and be absolutely ready for him to play.”
Root also insisted he was not sweating on Ben Stokes’ rumoured arrival, saying England are more than capable of defending the Ashes urn without the matchwinning all-rounder.
Stokes is reportedly set to find out this week whether he will be charged by police for his involvement in a Bristol street brawl in September which left a man hospitalised with facial injuries.
There are suggestions Stokes will be cleared by police and the England and Wales Cricket Board, possibly in time to join the squad ahead of the second Test in Adelaide.
Australian batsman David Warner is seen inspecting the pitchSource:AAP
Root admitted Stokes would be a “big miss” for them in the first Test from Thursday in Brisbane but was adamant they had the squad to clinch their first Ashes series in Australia since 2010-11.
“I think if you asked any captain in the world in any form of cricket ‘would you prefer to have Ben Stokes in your squad?’ … they would all say yes,” Root said.
“We are very fortunate to have him as an English player and what he has produced for England has been spectacular.
“He is someone who can win you a game within a session with both bat and ball and, of course, he will be a big miss to us.
“But we have prepared well with the group we have and that is completely out of our control.”
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Originally published as The wait is over! Let Ashes hostilities resume
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