Former Australian skipper Tim Paine reckons Australia will bring in Mitchell Starc for Scott Boland in the second Test match at Lord’s. Boland was preferred ahead of Starc after the former impressed in the World Test Championship final against India, taking a total of five wickets.
Starc was left out of the final XI as Josh Hazlewood also made a return to the Australian team after recovering from his injury. Meanwhile, Starc had also scalped a total of four wickets in the WTC Final against India.
Starc is well known to clean up the tail with his accurate yorkers and Australia missed his services as England’s lower-order batters added runs in both innings of the opening Test. Furthermore, Starc can contribute with the bat while batting down the order.
Starc has played 18 Ashes Tests in his career and has scalped 74 wickets at an average of 27.46. The left-arm batter has also scored 517 runs against England at an average of 25.85.
On the other hand, Scott Boland could take only two wickets in the opening Test match against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Tim Paine said on the SEN Cricket podcast, “It’s critical when you are playing in a five-match series, we are playing six Test matches in six weeks, so there is no doubt that those fast bowlers are going to be rotated. I think they will bring Starc in for Boland.”
Paine feels it will be crucial for Australia to manage the workload of their fast bowlers in this long five-match Ashes Test series.
“Again not dropping Scott Boland, he has been unbelievable but we need all of these bowlers to play a role at some stage in these Ashes. I think the only guy they will try and get through the five Tests is obviously our captain Pat Cummins,” said Paine.
With England embracing an aggressive style of play, Paine feels Mitchell Starc will create more opportunities with his left-arm angle and speed.
“I am really excited to see Mitchell Starc play again because of the way England are batting. I think with his extra airspeed and the different angles he can create from over and around the wicket with them being super-positive, he is going to create so many opportunities.”
“So that’s going to be awesome to watch. He also will bring Nathan Lyon into the game even more with his footmarks. But if they produce a wicket that gives any assistance to the bowlers, Scott Boland is probably the first pick.”
The second Ashes Test will be played at Lord’s, from June 28 onwards.
