Australia, reeling from the late withdrawal of wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, are reportedly set to drop Shane Watson for the second Ashes Test at lord’s on Thursday as they bid to level the five-match series at 1-1.
Watson was twice out lbw cheaply in all-too familiar fashion as England, against many pre-series predictions, won the first Test in Cardiff by the crushing margin of 169 runs with more than a day to spare last week to take a key lead.
With his medium-paced bowling barely used by captain Michael Clarke at Sophia Gardens, Australia’s Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday that the 34-year-old Watson would be dropped at lord’s and replaced by fellow all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, 11 years his junior.
Watson’s lbw double in Cardiff means he has now passed fifty in just two of his past 16 innings. “My gut feeling is they’ll probably go with Mitchell Marsh,” former Australia captain Steve Waugh told Sky Sports before the Fairfax report, subsequently cited by Cricket Australia’s own website, was published.
“A guy at that age... When he’s played a long time, when you make a decision like this now — it’s pretty much final. There’s probably no way back from being dropped now.”
Marsh, the son of former Australia opener Geoff Marsh, has played in four Tests and impressed in the team’s opening two tour matches by scoring hundreds against both Kent and Essex.
Cricket Australia said on Wednesday they would not comment on the Fairfax report, saying that the Test side would be announced as scheduled on Thursday morning at lord’s.
Haddin, 37, withdrew on Tuesday for what a team spokeswoman said were “family reasons”, although he will remain with the squad in london.
Peter Nevill, also Haddin’s New South Wales deputy, is now set for an international debut on Thursday.
Meanwhile the 29-year-old Nevill faces the prospect of making his Test debut at lord’s, which can prove tough for wicket-keepers because of how the ball can deviate alarmingly after passing the bat.
Australia appear to be increasingly confident that left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, the pick of their attack in Cardiff, will be fit for lord’s despite suffering an ankle injury in Wales.
For England, whose first match under new Australian coach Trevor Bayliss resulted in a commanding victory, the challenge is to put two wins together — something that has so far eluded them this year in Test series.
Alastair Cook is set to captain an unchanged England side looking to regain the Ashes after their 5-0 thrashing in Australia in 2013/14.
Ponting to ring lord’s bell
Ricky Ponting will ring the bell to signal five minutes before the start of play on day one of the second Test between England and Australia at lord’s. The five-time Ashes winner will become the seventh Australian to ring the bell, following in the footsteps of former teammates Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, as well as the late Richie Benaud.
Arjun trains with England
England’s batsmen faced Arjun Tendulkar, Sachin Tendulkar’s son, in the nets before the second Test.
He was pictured in the nets against Ben Stoakes at lord’s. To aid his development, he got advice from England bowling coach Ottis Gibson. Arjun is a left-arm medium pacer.