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Australia faces tough questions around its second spinner for upcoming tour of India
Australia faces some massive calls when it comes to its second spinner for the upcoming tour of India. See the probable squad.
Australia is seeing double for next month’s tour of India, with bespectacled Victorian Todd Murphy to join Nathan Lyon in the quest for world domination.
Murphy is set to be named on Wednesday alongside Lyon, Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson in a spin squadron preparing to conquer cricket’s biggest challenge and lead Australia to glory in India.
In the eyes of selectors, Murphy is the second best spinner in Australia.
But the rookie sensation with just seven first-class matches to his name is an off-spinner like Lyon, and the question is can Murphy partner the GOAT in the best XI?
Sub-continental veteran Peter Handscomb and Sydney Test comeback kid Matthew Renshaw will provide conditions-suited reinforcement for Australia’s batting line-up for the four Test series starting on February 9, particularly if all-rounder Cameron Green is slow returning from his broken finger.
Mitchell Starc is expected to be named in a squad of up to 18 players announced on Wednesday as he continues to recover from tendon damage to the middle finger of his bowling hand – but will miss at least the first Test match in Nagpur and will be racing the clock to be back in time for the second Test in Delhi.
Ashton Agar’s underwhelming Test return at the SCG has thrown the race to partner Lyon as Australia’s second spinner wide open – with the previously unlikely scenario of playing two off-spinners in the same attack now a realistic possibility with Murphy screaming into focus.
Murphy took himself to an optometrist at the start of the summer to try on contact lenses, but didn’t like the feel and is committed to joining the likes of Daniel Vettori and Jack Leach as glasses-wearing Test spinners.
Selectors must weigh up whether Murphy and Lyon can feature in the same attack, but the 22-year-old from Echuca told News Corp earlier this summer that master and apprentice are not the same bowler.
“His (Lyon’s) stock ball is so good and so repeatable and he backs that in a lot. Whereas I try and change my pace a bit more … and I chop and change things a bit more potentially,” Murphy said.
The conundrum over how to get the second best spinner into the best XI isn’t made any easier by the fact part-time wicket-sneak Travis Head is another off-spinner.
But former Test great Kerry O’Keeffe has been one leading voice this summer on Fox Cricket who sees merit in prioritising quality over trying to find a point of difference.
Agar is still in the box seat to be first-choice partner in crime for Lyon, but the watch is on after he went wicketless on day five at the SCG.
AUSTRALIA POSSIBLE SQUAD
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green*, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc*, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Swepson, Todd Murphy, Lance Morris
Australia faces some massive calls when it comes to its second spinner for the upcoming tour of India. See the probable squad.
Australia is seeing double for next month’s tour of India, with bespectacled Victorian Todd Murphy to join Nathan Lyon in the quest for world domination.
Murphy is set to be named on Wednesday alongside Lyon, Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson in a spin squadron preparing to conquer cricket’s biggest challenge and lead Australia to glory in India.
In the eyes of selectors, Murphy is the second best spinner in Australia.
But the rookie sensation with just seven first-class matches to his name is an off-spinner like Lyon, and the question is can Murphy partner the GOAT in the best XI?
Sub-continental veteran Peter Handscomb and Sydney Test comeback kid Matthew Renshaw will provide conditions-suited reinforcement for Australia’s batting line-up for the four Test series starting on February 9, particularly if all-rounder Cameron Green is slow returning from his broken finger.
Mitchell Starc is expected to be named in a squad of up to 18 players announced on Wednesday as he continues to recover from tendon damage to the middle finger of his bowling hand – but will miss at least the first Test match in Nagpur and will be racing the clock to be back in time for the second Test in Delhi.
Ashton Agar’s underwhelming Test return at the SCG has thrown the race to partner Lyon as Australia’s second spinner wide open – with the previously unlikely scenario of playing two off-spinners in the same attack now a realistic possibility with Murphy screaming into focus.
Murphy took himself to an optometrist at the start of the summer to try on contact lenses, but didn’t like the feel and is committed to joining the likes of Daniel Vettori and Jack Leach as glasses-wearing Test spinners.
Selectors must weigh up whether Murphy and Lyon can feature in the same attack, but the 22-year-old from Echuca told News Corp earlier this summer that master and apprentice are not the same bowler.
“His (Lyon’s) stock ball is so good and so repeatable and he backs that in a lot. Whereas I try and change my pace a bit more … and I chop and change things a bit more potentially,” Murphy said.
The conundrum over how to get the second best spinner into the best XI isn’t made any easier by the fact part-time wicket-sneak Travis Head is another off-spinner.
But former Test great Kerry O’Keeffe has been one leading voice this summer on Fox Cricket who sees merit in prioritising quality over trying to find a point of difference.
Agar is still in the box seat to be first-choice partner in crime for Lyon, but the watch is on after he went wicketless on day five at the SCG.
AUSTRALIA POSSIBLE SQUAD
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green*, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc*, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Swepson, Todd Murphy, Lance Morris
AUSTRALIA PULLS OUT OF ODI SERIES AGAINST AFGHANISTAN
BY SEB MOTTRAM 28 MINUTES AGO
Cricket Australia has pulled the pin on Australia’s planned ODI series against Afghanistan in March.
CA, via a statement, explained the decision came on the back of the Taliban’s recent announcement on further restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.
The three-match series will now not go ahead, with CA adding the Australian Government was consulted on the matter.
View: https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1613400206749630465?s=20&t=v8SyIA31myWBi-3Ej67nFg
“CA is committed to supporting growing the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan, and will continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in anticipation of improved conditions for women and girls in the country,” a CA statement read.
“We thank the Australian Government for its support on this matter.”
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in late 2021 and have placed severe restrictions on females, including their ability to participate in sport.
Australia will forfeit the 30 competition points on offer for the ICC ODI Super League, but Andrew McDonald’s side has already qualified for the ODI World Cup in India in October.
Afghanistan is the only ICC full member without a women’s side.
BY SEB MOTTRAM 28 MINUTES AGO
Cricket Australia has pulled the pin on Australia’s planned ODI series against Afghanistan in March.
CA, via a statement, explained the decision came on the back of the Taliban’s recent announcement on further restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.
The three-match series will now not go ahead, with CA adding the Australian Government was consulted on the matter.
View: https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1613400206749630465?s=20&t=v8SyIA31myWBi-3Ej67nFg
“CA is committed to supporting growing the game for women and men around the world, including in Afghanistan, and will continue to engage with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in anticipation of improved conditions for women and girls in the country,” a CA statement read.
“We thank the Australian Government for its support on this matter.”
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in late 2021 and have placed severe restrictions on females, including their ability to participate in sport.
Australia will forfeit the 30 competition points on offer for the ICC ODI Super League, but Andrew McDonald’s side has already qualified for the ODI World Cup in India in October.
Afghanistan is the only ICC full member without a women’s side.
CSA T20 Challenge now has just come off for lightning.
Players rush off, but the umpires hang around on the ground to talk to the head grounsman. The rest of the groundsmen are on the field putting covers on.
One head and about 12 crew, still on the field. Sacrifice to the Gods.
Seriously, is it safe to be out there on the field or not?
Players rush off, but the umpires hang around on the ground to talk to the head grounsman. The rest of the groundsmen are on the field putting covers on.
One head and about 12 crew, still on the field. Sacrifice to the Gods.
Seriously, is it safe to be out there on the field or not?
- Joined
- 3 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 38,963
- Likes
- 126,636
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
- Joined
- 3 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 38,963
- Likes
- 126,636
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
