Australia’s frontline bowlers have been unchanged throughout the season which has meant no action for the reserves
Alex Malcolm07-Mar-2024Australia are set to field an unchanged side for the fourth Test in a row and an unchanged bowling quartet for the seventh match of the summer with back-up quick Scott Boland likely to be sent home to play Sheffield Shield cricket for Victoria on Monday.Captain Pat Cummins confirmed Australia’s expected line-up for the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval starting on Friday as they look to secure the series 2-0 following the victory in Wellington.The final round of Shield matches begins on Monday and Victoria have a chance to qualify for a third straight final as they host Western Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Related
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Boland and Michael Neser are the two back-up quicks on tour, with Matt Renshaw the only spare batter in the 14-man touring party. Australia will need to keep at least one spare batter and one spare bowler with the squad in case of a concussion but could release one of the quicks to play in the Shield. Queensland are out of contention for the final and would not need Neser to return to try and qualify.Boland looks likely to be released after the toss on Friday to return home to prepare to face Western Australia.”There was talk of maybe sending Scotty back for Victoria but holding Nes back from Queensland just to annoy Marnus [Labuschagne] and Usman [Khawaja],” Cummins said. “I did hear the back end of that conversation the other day.”It has been a frustrating summer for Boland. He was the star of the World Test Championship final for Australia in June last year and kept Mitchell Starc out of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. But England attacked him in the two Tests he played in the Ashes and Australia returned to their big three for three for the final two Tests.Boland was rested for specific Shield matches at the start of the summer at the request of Australia’s selectors to be fresh for the Tests with a genuine concern that one of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc would not be fit after a gruelling ODI World Cup campaign. But the trio have got through unscathed, and Boland has played just five first-class matches for the season as a result.Michael Neser is Australia’s other spare pace bowler on the tour•Getty Images
“I think I said at the start of the summer I’d be surprised we played all seven just because it’s rare that something doesn’t pop up,” Cummins said. “But thankfully we’ve all kind of managed all the little niggles that pop up pretty well. I think even the schedule this summer seems to be just when you need a week’s break, there was a week’s break in between Test matches.”Obviously it’s been a long summer but we all still feel like we’ve got a fair bit of freshness about us. We’re not limping over the line. I still feel like we’re in a great position. I wouldn’t have thought we’d be here a couple of months ago.”While Australia are settled, there is a wariness heading into the second Test. In 2022 against Sri Lanka, and just last month at home against the West Indies, Australia gave up 1-0 leads with poor performances in the second match of each series.There are concerns around the batting group with some frank discussions held internally during the week about being more ruthless and accountable to individual plans.”I think it’s just decision-making around plans, and having really clear plans,” Cummins said. “It doesn’t mean you need to have 12 shot options. It might only be two or three. But you’re building innings around that. I think Greeny was a great example. For all his big shots last week, he also showed a lot of restraint at times.”So just managing that tempo, having a really clear game plan and just living and dying by that. There have been a lot of conversations. A lot of guys working in the nets just to have a think about that.”