With countless frontline pacemen at their disposal, the only Australian bowler who has a tight grip on a Test spot is Mitchell Johnson.
Since Ryan Harris has been kept in cotton wool, no other bowler has been able to provide Johnson with similar support that Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee gave Glenn McGrath during The Untouchables’ reign.
Questions remain about the best makeup for the Aussies’ pace arsenal this summer and beyond.
Does Australia persist with the incumbent fast men Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc against India?
The doubt that has arisen from Australia’s attack being put to the sword in Pakistan not only means that Sheffield Shield fast bowlers will be upping the ante to thrust their names onto the selection table, but will bring more opportunities for bowlers in the next 18 months due to a gruelling international schedule.
So who are the fast bowlers to watch?
Doug Bollinger
First class wickets: 331 @ 27.71.
Five wickets: 15
Ten wickets: 2
Like a fine wine, Bollinger’s bowling has been getting better with age. At 33, the NSW stalwart remains firmly in the national selectors’ thoughts due to his impressive and consistent performances in the Sheffield Shield over the past two seasons, and a solid off-season with Kent in English County cricket.
The left-arm opening bowler has taken 59 Shield scalps in the past two years at 25.71 and 57 wickets for Kent in three formats during his stint as their overseas pro, yet pundits still fail to mention him as a serious Test contender.
Bollinger was rushed into Australia’s Test squad for the final Test at the SCG against England last summer and played in the recent T20 series against South Africa. These rewards show the Sydney native is on the cusp of adding to his 12 Tests and 50 wickets at 25.92.
With Ryan Harris, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus and Jackson Bird unable to prove their fitness, Bollinger has an opportunity to reawaken his Test career and terrorise Indian batsmen with fellow left-armer Johnson.
Josh Hazlewood
First class wickets: 90 @ 26.18
Five wickets: 1
Ten wickets: 0
The 23-year-old has been dubbed Australia’s next fast-bowling superstar and has been whispered by influential Aussie cricket figures to be in the reckoning for a Test debut against India this summer.
Already representing Australia six times in ODI and T20 matches, the NSW quick has risen above expectations placed on him since he was the youngest fast-bowler to be selected for NSW at age 17. He was also selected for his ODI debut at 19, and toured with the Australian Test squad to India in 2010.
With Darren Lehmann a huge proponent of selecting fast bowlers who push the speed gun, Hazlewood holds an advantage over other candidates for a cherished Test spot. He didn’t do his claims any harm with 7/36 against South Australia in this season’s first domestic one-day match for NSW, with five of his victims being clean-bowled due to Hazlewood’s sheer pace and hooping movement.
The only thing going against the Tamworth native is his injury record, and susceptibility to breaking down over five days. With two Shield matches to be played before the first Test in Brisbane, the selectors will be watching Hazlewood with a magnifying glass to see if his performances warrant a precious baggy green.
Chadd Sayers
First class wickets: 127 @ 23.66
Five wickets: 7
Ten wickets: 0
The South Australian seamer has been the leading bowler in the Shiled over the last two seasons, with 84 wickets at 23.42, and recently had match figures of 9/82 off 47 overs against Queensland on a flat pitch, including a hat-trick and a match-turning 6/34 in the second innings.
Renowned for his suffocating spells and late away swing to right-handed batsmen, the 27-year-old has the chance to beat out his rivals with two more convincing showings in Shield.
Nathan Coulter-Nile
First class wickets: 106 @ 28.52
Five wickets: 2
Ten wickets: 0
Held in very high regard by Test legends Shane Warne, Mike Hussey and Western Australia coach Justin Langer, Coulter-Nile has been extremely close to making his Test debut over the last 12 months. The WA paceman was in the Ashes Test squad against England last summer and was again close to being picked in the Test squad that faced No. 1-ranked South Africa in February.
Coulter-Nile has represented Australia A several times and the national side in seven ODIs and ten T20s, for 25 wickets. He has been selected in a formidable pace attack for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa starting on November 14th.
The Perth native never looked like he had been on the injured list for four months as he rattled Tasmania in their recent Shield match, with a quick-fire 64 and a crucial fiery spell of 3/34.
Coulter-Nile’s ability to bowl 140 plus kph pits him against Josh Hazlewood for a strike bowling berth in the Test series. A handy, explosive lower order batsmen and rated by John Inverarity as one of the top three or four fielders in the country, Coulter-Nile has a lot to offer.
Jason Behrendorff
First class wickets: 76 @ 24.06
Five wickets: 3
Ten wickets: 1
Behrendoff has been lauded by his state coach and Aussie cricket legend Justin Langer, based on the left-arm fast bowler’s consistent top-class form over the last 12 months.
The Canberra product recently led WA’s attack to the one-day cup title against powerhouse NSW by taking 5-27 in a match-winning spell in the pressure cooker final only three months out from the World Cup.
Last season Behrendorff took 6/143 in the Shield final against NSW on a docile pitch that couldn’t force a result, which made him finish the second highest wicket-taker in the competition with 40 wickets at 22.70, and led to selection for Australia A versus South Africa in August.
Behrendorff is a tall strike-bowler who can confuse the batsmen with rising bounce or subtle swing and needs to stay ahead of Starc and Bollinger if he is a chance of being considered for the Test side. Another consistent season in the Shield with more five-wicket hauls will keep the West Australian within touching distance of a baggy green.
Tune in tomorrow to find out who of the aforementioned quicks deserves a chance to wear the baggy green this summer against the Indians.
Dan Ced
Roar Rookie
Hilfy has been in the Aussie squad so I havent seen him play lately. I automatically assume a player without recent game time will be rusty. Hilfy already being in the squad should get precedence really I suppose, as should Hughes. They were put in the squad due to good form.. sure that good for is half a year in the past now but 2 year old form is good enough to get Doolan into the test squad! lol.
Don Freo
Guest
You need to eat more cereal, Brains...that memory has forgotten Friday already. Today was the result of poor batting for NCN. He had to attack without cover for the boundary balls. He needed to take wicket for Oz to win and that meant a wicket or a score. He got about 4 edges that went for four...the rest were clean hit boundaries but they would only have been singles if George could afford to not attack. I blame Aaron Finch...and a few other top order bats. You can't defend 150 with the #1 and # 2 bats in the world.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Dont think ncn will get picked after todays performance though
Don Freo
Guest
Impressed by Hazlewood today? Remember what everyone was saying about him after the first Matador when he took 7 wickets? Don't go off players just because they don't get a 5 for every game. I suppose everyone will go off NCN today...despite the fact that the fields meant he would either get a wicket or go for 4. It had to be that way. Today he went for 4...often off the edge of the bat.
Don Freo
Guest
I hope you are not denigrating Fekete, Bucko. A very fast young bowler with amazing accuracy. He's another one who'll raise his hand in a few years.
Don Freo
Guest
Hilfy is a better swing bowler than Sayers and a lot more aggressive. Have you noticed how fast Hilfy gets through an over? Often only 3 mins. Play him instead of a spinner until a spinner kicks the door down. Notice Lyon and SOK bowled like they were in UAE again...but Lyon, at least was economical. SOK...welll what can you say?
Dan Ced
Guest
Agreed. He earned another shot in ODI's with his very good matador cup I guess. Would've put Paris in ahead of him if he hadn't gotten injured, looked great in matador. Siddle for Sayers, just do it. If Starc is injured give NCN a go, if he is shit Ryano will take his place. To me it's absurdly obvious.
Don Freo
Guest
How do you think Sayers will perform when 'there is nothing left to give in the seam' Matt? He is a swing bowler who relies on a shiny ball. A bit limited when it gets tarnished.
Don Freo
Guest
NCN has led the WA attack wonderfully for the past 3years. He has done plenty to earn selection. The fact he didn't come through the preferred Oz U19 set up but just forced his way into calculations with performance is indication of his readiness. He has earned it. How young do you think NCN is? Bird has barely played for two years.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
It was absurd of boof to say that only 140 blokes are good enough to play for aus...sayers like butterworth has been robbed by the selection panel
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Sayers,bird and few other blokes are far more deserving than ncn and hazelwood imo.theres nothing wrong in giving the young blood a chance but first they need to show that they are the better than others which certainly isnt the case here.ryano wudnt be playin now if they'd gone with young blood back then...
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
NCN, Starc, MJ and Lyon sound good to me.
Nudge
Guest
Yeah Lyons a cert, and your man NCN making a strong case.
Don Freo
Guest
Dougie is not in the top 25 quicks in Oz now. If NSW had a full contingent, their attack would be Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Sandhu, Henriques and Abbott. Dougie misses the Shield final if NSW makes it.
Don Freo
Guest
I'd be happy with Lyon but I suspect he might not be needed with India struggling to get 150 in both digs. Happy with Siddle too. Whoever plays will succeed and, therefore be in the team for NZ and Zimbabwe (or is it Bangladesh) too...and, therefore the Ashes. Just hope one of those is not Wade...although he'd get exposed with all the nicks.
Nudge
Guest
Siddle will play as well
Nudge
Guest
Mate your going to have Watson and Marsh in the team. So 3 quicks plus those 2 is surely enough. Lyon averages about 25 at the gabba
Don Freo
Guest
Of the 4 quicks or Nathan carrying the drinks? Hazle would probably be squeezed out by Starc if they take 3 with MJ and NCN. I still think 4 quicks...although Mitch Marsh might give them the 4th they want.
Nudge
Guest
No chance Don
Bucko
Guest
What do you all see in Starc?? He is ordinary, he took some wickets against srilanka…in Hobart!! Andrew Fekete is takin wickets in Hobart!! Anyone can take wickets in Hobart especially vs sl who are just as bad at playing seam as India. So Harris will play, Coulter-Nile could play, cummins should play. Watson and marsh will bowl a lot of overs, so cummins will only have to bowl 3-4 over spells, coz when he got injured he was bowling 8 over spells in a shield game and bowled a 7 over spell on test debut. A growing 19 year old body will never be able to handle that, no wonder he got injured all the time. Play him in the first test, he would destroy the Indians. I don't give a crap what was said or what he said in the media, just give him a go with Johnson!! So; Johnson, Harris and Cummins (scary)