After promising plenty of fireworks, Australia’s pace attack were forced to hold back when they hit the practice nets ahead of next week’s first Ashes Test in Brisbane.
But spearhead Mitchell Starc says they won’t be showing the same restraint against England in the Ashes opener starting on November 23.
Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Starc looked primed to cut loose in the Brisbane nets on Monday after being rested from NSW’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland being held just metres away on Allan Border Field.
Starc admitted they had to show some mercy as they took turns bowling at each other in the nets.
But he quickly ruled out showing any to England at the Gabba.
“I think we will get a batsman to face us (in the nets) on Wednesday,” Starc said.
“You hold back a little bit. We are not going to bounce each other here – you don’t want to hit your mate for starters.
“We do have a fast bowler’s code in our team – it won’t happen for England”.
The pace trio appear in prime form ahead of the first Test after helping NSW move to the top of the Shield table with back to back wins before being sidelined.
Starc led the way with two hat-tricks in NSW’s Shield win over WA last week.
The ever-reliable Hazlewood has recovered from a side strain while speedster Cummins is raring to be unleashed on a juicy Gabba deck in his first Test on home soil.
However, Starc believed they had plenty of work to do before running out at the Gabba where Australia have not lost a Test since 1988.
“For us it is about getting our lengths right,” Starc said.
“It is obviously a great ground for Australia in terms of our record.
“It is a very good cricket wicket. Bad bowling gets punished.
“Patient batting gets rewarded.”
Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Tasmania quick Jackson Bird will train in Brisbane ahead of the first Test squad announcement on Friday.
“We have all grown up together and played a lot of cricket with and against each other through the ranks,” Starc said of the four quicks in Brisbane.
“We know each other really well and spend a lot of time together – it is no secret the fast bowlers are a tight unit.
“Hopefully we can stay together as a group and do something special over the next few years.”
Pope Paul VII
Guest
They've only been bowling to each other. A few targets will be trotted out for their amusement today.
James GC
Roar Rookie
The article states that the bowlers are bowling to each other, as far as I can see all the test team starting bat's and prospects are batting in this round of the shield. Once the team is announced I'm sure they will unleash their bowling plans on our own bat's in the nets first.
James
Guest
Think this is a terrible mentality. You look at all the great teams and competitors and they all say that training was the hard part, the games were easy after training. So the batsmen dont get as hard a workout as they want and the bowlers dont practice exactly what they are going to be doing in a game.
Jameswm
Guest
Carn boys. Mr Curator, we don't need too much sideways movement, just bounce.