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Injuries to Aussie Test quicks Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson have created opportunities for a raft of pacemen hopeful of making this summer’s Ashes squad.
Veterans Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris, together with young spearhead James Pattinson, are the only fast bowlers guaranteed of a spot in the squad if fit.
Australia are very likely to again include six quicks considering the pace and bounce expected from most of the home wickets.
That leaves the following players to compete for up to three spots in the squad: I have given each bowler an ‘Ashes rating’ out of 10 based on their likelihood of making the squad if fit.
James Faulkner
23 years old, first class record: 138 wickets at 23. Ashes rating: 9/10
The prodigiously-talented all-rounder made an inscrutable debut in the final match of the recent Ashes.
His match return of 6-98 and 45 runs would appear on paper to be a stunning entry to Test cricket.
Yet the majority of his success with bat and ball took place in limited-overs style circumstances, engineered by his skipper Michael Clarke’s desperation to force a result from the weather-interrupted match.
What can be ascertained from his performance is he thrives under pressure, something which had already been evident in his ODI career.
The fact the selectors believe he offers cover for Shane Watson if the burly all-rounder gets injured should seal his spot in the squad.
Jackson Bird
26, first class record: 109 wickets at average of 21. Ashes rating: 7.5/10
The Tasmanian swing merchant harmed his chances of selection with an innocuous, albeit accurate, display in his sole outing in the recent Ashes.
His disappointing return of 2-125 on a Chester-le-Street pitch which offered the quicks reasonable assistance saw him dropped for the final Test.
His lack of penetration was reflective of his overall tour of Europe, where he failed to make breakthroughs with the new ball in almost every match for Australia or Australia A.
However, he remains the most probable backup for workhorse Peter Siddle, given his ability to bowl long, containing spells.
Mitchell Johnson
31, Test record: 205 wickets at 31. Ashes ratings: 7/10
Unpredictable as ever, the veteran has cantered into Ashes calculations thanks to the injury to fellow left armer Mitchell Starc and scintillating efforts in the recent limited overs contests in England and Ireland.
Johnson’s Test prospects should never be based on his form in ODIs, a format in which he has enjoyed far greater success and consistency due to his ability to swing the white ball.
He is a completely different proposition when he swerves the pill back into the right handers, as he did to devastating effect en route to skittling England at the WACA in 2010-11.
The selectors desire to exploit England’s perceived weakness against left arm pace, coupled with the spectre of Johnson’s WACA carnage, could well see him given one final crack at the side which has tormented him at Test level.
Chadd Sayers
26, first class record: 76 wickets at 20. Ashes rating: 6/10
Sayers confirmed in recent outings for Australia A it had been no fluke he topped the Sheffield Shield wicket takers list last summer with 48 wickets at 19.
The South Australian swing bowler took 14 wickets at 20 over four first-class matches for Australia A in Britain and Africa, displaying the late movement which had confounded many Shield batsmen.
But he could be in a shootout with Bird for the backup swing bowling berth and may need to dominate early in the Shield and in the Australia A match against England, should he play, in order to surge ahead of the Tasmanian.
Ben Hilfenhaus
30, Test record: 99 wickets at 28. Ashes rating: 3/10
The durable right armer offers a similar product as both Bird and Sayers but appears to have been all but forgotten by the Aussie selectors, considering he did not even make the recent Australia A squads.
However, should Jackson Bird’s back niggle get worse, Hilfenhaus could be an outside chance of making the Ashes squad.
Nathan Coulter-Nile
25, first class record: 88 wickets at 28. Ashes rating: 3/10
Similar to Hilfenhaus, Coulter-Nile’s hopes of making the Ashes squad likely rest on an injury to one of the frontline pacemen.
In his case, an injury to Harris could open the door for him, given his strong suit is his pace and aggression as opposed to the more subtle skills of Sayers and Hilfenhaus.
Coulter-Nile is a favourite of Shane Warne who, for what it is worth, has reportedly had influence among the Aussie leadership group since former coach Mickey Arthur’s departure.
Ben Cutting
26, first class record: 119 wickets at 25. Ashes rating: 3/10
Injuries have seen Cutting’s stocks fall since 2011, when he was included in the Aussie squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Brisbane.
He made an impressive return to Shield ranks last season, snaring 22 wickets at 19.
Cutting extracts steepling bounce from his tall frame and high action, possesses a brutish bouncer and can operate consistently in the 140kmh to 145kmh range.
He probably will also have to rely on injuries to open the door for him and, as an out-and-out strike bowler, would more likely compete with Coulter-Nile for a position than Sayers or Hilfenhaus.
My Ashes pace attack:
Harris, Siddle, Pattinson, Faulkner, Bird and Sayers.