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Australia's Test bowlers: The second tier

Roar Rookie
2nd November, 2018
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Roar Rookie
2nd November, 2018
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For a long time now, Australian selectors have pinned Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Patrick Cummins and Nathan Lyon as the four best bowlers in the country, and with good reason too.

Their performances at the top level have been mostly exceptional, with each bowler making it easier for their partner at the other end. However, it is always important to analyse the second tier of any lineup.

These guys are the ones who are next in line should injury rule out any of the four throughout this summer and beyond in the Test arena. A mention below is warranted from either their current form at a high level or previous experience at the Test level.

The pace bowlers

Jackson Bird
Seemingly the first quick to replace an injured Test bowler, Bird previously cameoed in last season’s Ashes series on Boxing Day, replacing Mitchell Starc due to an injured heel. Unfortunately for Bird, that Test match did not reap the rewards he would have hoped; bowling on a lifeless MCG wicket that offered nothing for all bowlers.

Having taken a ten-wicket haul in Round 1 of the Sheffield Shield, Bird is still well and truly taking wickets against his state opponents. He is still likely to stay the number one backup for this summer unless the selectors are looking for someone of a different calibre and style to Bird.

Jackson Bird celebrates

(Ross Setford/SNPA via AP)

Peter Siddle
Having recently played in the UAE alongside Mitchell Starc, Siddle showed that he is still capable of playing at the top level. Whilst his age has reduced his chances somewhat of playing for Australia again, his performances on the county scene last season were phenomenal.

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He is a sneaky chance to feature in their squad at least next year but may need to compete alongside Bird and Chadd Sayers for that spot if they choose to only bring two back up pace bowlers.

Chadd Sayers
Renowned by the public as the Shield bowler who most deserves an elongated crack at Test level, Sayers continues to get it down at Shield level. Sharing similar attributes to South African paceman Vernon Philander, “The Chadd” will put it on a good line and length the vast majority of the time, and get wickets doing it.

Having played just one Test match in South Africa in the last match of the infamous ‘ball-tampering’ series, Sayers picked up the prized wicket of AB de Villiers, a maiden test wicket of high value. It will be interesting to see whether or not selectors pick him for the Ashes series next year, rivalling likely with both Bird and Siddle.

Chris Tremain
Arguably the second unluckiest Shield bowler behind Sayers, Tremain has found out just how hard it is to crack into a performing bowling cartel. Having taken 51 wickets at 21 last season, Chris has given selectors some match-winning performances to consider should a spot in the bowling attack arise this summer.

A limited appearance in the ODI team showed that selectors do think he is up to the challenge, but whether or not he can convince them to do the same on the Test arena is yet to be seen. Like everyone else on this list, he will be aiming to be selected for the Ashes series in England next year.

Trent Copeland
The three-test player in Copeland has put together some incredible performances at domestic level over the last few years for New South Wales and was praised last year with the “Sheffield Shield Player of the Year” award. His incredibly consistent line and length is a nightmare to face on top of his height, and with an upright seam will have batsman edging everywhere.

Having also proven himself as more than handy with the bat, Trent has really shown to be a complete player. If there was ever a smoky to be picked as an injury replacement in the Test side, Copeland would 100% be it. It certainly would be wrong to rule him out of a rebirth on the international stage, as his domestic statistics are genuinely phenomenal.

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The spinners

Jon Holland
‘Dutchy’, as he is known by his teammates, has recently come back alongside Peter Siddle in this list from the 1-0 Test series loss in the UAE. Unfortunately for Holland, he didn’t quite have the series he was looking for, and couldn’t capitalise in the same way Lyon, Labuschagne and the Pakistan spinners could.

Nevertheless, he will hope to continue his ever-consistent Shield form again this summer. He is probably still the next spinner in line behind Lyon, but his time to go another level is closing past, with the likes of Lloyd Pope rapidly gaining both wickets and media attention.

Holland could be a left-field option this summer when Test match cricket comes to Sydney in what could be a spinner-friendly deck.

Steve O’Keefe
The ‘SOK’, has, unfortunately for him, fallen out of favour with selectors; mainly due to his off-field antics causing a media stir on more than one occasion. Like Holland, O’Keefe is not a massive turner of the ball, but more of a line-length type operator.

His economic left-arm orthodoxies have been a handy asset for NSW for many years now, and on his day can tear through the best of lineups; circa 2017 in India, where he took incredible match figures of 12/70. Whilst his time at the top level is seemingly up, he still believes he has more to offer for Australia, whether that be by himself or in tandem with Nathan Lyon.

steve-okeefe-australia-cricket-2017

(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

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Lloyd Pope
The newest cult hero of Australian cricket, Lloyd Pope is currently all the rave in the past nine months. With standouts performances for the Australian U19’s team and the SA Redbacks, Pope is already being herald as the next Shane Warne.

At just 18 years of age, there is already talk of him being Nathan Lyon’s successor in years to come; despite only playing two Shield games. His wrong’un is a deadly ball of his that regularly spins way more than any decent batsman can adjust for, and deceives his opposition in flight also.

Whilst it is very unlikely we will see Pope with a baggy green on his head in the next 12 months, his limitless potential reminds us that with him, nothing is impossible.

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