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The selection of Lance Morris in the Australian squad for the second Test against the West Indies shows the selectors are already starting to plan for a post-big three era.
And even though Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood still have plenty of Tests left in them, Australia need to start have an eye on a future without the star trio because there is a dearth of young options in the Sheffield Shield ranks.
Of the 22 bowlers who rolled the arm over at pace for the six teams in the just-completed round, 24-year-old Morris was one of just five aged under 25.
West Australian teammate Aaron Hardie, 23, and Victorian trio Sam Elliott, 22, Fergus O’Neill, 21, and Will Sutherland, 23, were the only other seamers on display in the three games who are yet to celebrate their 25th birthday.
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The average age of fast bowlers in the Shield was 28.2 with old-timers Jackson Bird, 35, and Peter Siddle, 38, sharing the new ball for Tasmania.
| Player | Team | Age |
| Joel Paris | WA | 29 |
| Matthew Kelly | WA | 27 |
| Aaron Hardie | WA | 23 |
| Lance Morris | WA | 24 |
| Michael Neser | Qld | 32 |
| Mark Steketee | Qld | 28 |
| Gurinder Sandhu | Qld | 29 |
| James Bazley | Qld | 27 |
| Jackson Bird | Tas | 35 |
| Peter Siddle | Tas | 38 |
| Riley Meredith | Tas | 26 |
| Beau Webster | Tas | 29 |
| Wes Agar | SA | 25 |
| Nathan McAndrew | SA | 29 |
| Brendan Doggett | SA | 28 |
| Sean Abbott | NSW | 30 |
| Chris Tremain | NSW | 31 |
| Mickey Edwards | NSW | 27 |
| Sam Elliott | Vic | 22 |
| Fergus O’Neill | Vic | 21 |
| Will Sutherland | Vic | 23 |
Morris has been called into the extended Test squad for the Adelaide Oval clash with the West Indies alongside Queensland veteran Michael Neser, 32, as cover for Cummins as he tries to overcome a thigh injury.
Scott Boland is the likely candidate to replace Cummins after his 18-wicket haul from three Ashes Tests last summer. The Victorian is no spring chicken either at 33.
Lance Morris of Western Australia celebrates taking the wicket of James Peirson of Queensland. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Along with injured West Australian speedster Jhye Richardson, 26, they have been the fringe quicks used in the Test team in the couple of few years.
Cummins doesn’t turn 30 until May while Hazlewood will be 32 and Starc 33 when they each celebrate birthdays next month. Between them they have chalked up a combined 174 Tests and 710 wickets and all three are in the top 12 of the ICC Test bowler rankings.
If the Australians follow the lead of England’s management of Stuart Broad and James Anderson by stripping their main quicks back to Tests only to lengthen their career, the super-fit NSW threesome could continue at international level deep into their 30s based on their durability in recent years.
Boland and Neser are in danger of suffering Jamie Siddons syndrome (Siddonsdrome, perhaps?) of being prolific players at first-class level over the course of their careers but not getting much of a look-in at Test level because of generational talent ahead of them. Maybe the bowler’s version of this should be known as Andy Bichelitis?
Once Richardson gets back to his best after overcoming his latest injury, a minor heel problem, he will be viewed as the player most likely to become Australia’s next pace spearhead.
Jhye Richardson celebrates the wicket of Haseeb Hameed. (Photo by Mark Brake – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
But more young quicks need to emerge from the Shield ranks and that’s why Morris has seemingly come from nowhere to be within striking distance of becoming Australia’s 467th male Test cricketer.
He is the leading wicket taker in the Shield arena this summer with 27 scalps at 18.4, which – combined with his ability to bowl in the 150km/h ballpark – makes him a tantalising prospect.
Morris bagged 3-22 to nearly lead WA to a victory in their rain-shortened match with Queensland at the Gabba and could have had more with Gurinder Sandu dropped off his bowling in the slips with the home side 6-45 trying to hold out for a draw late on Sunday.
“Yesterday I got off the field at the Gabba and got a call about 10 minutes later,” he told reporters at the airport in Adelaide on Monday en route to joining the national team. “Genuine surprise. I struggled to even pack my kitbag, to be honest.
“Honestly, the way things have happened in the last 24 hours you never know,” he added when asked if he thought he was a chance of making the final XI.
Morris said he had been clocked at 150km/h a few times and selection chief George Bailey said that raw speed played a large part in his surprise inclusion.
“He has genuine pace and his ability to create opportunities for wickets is a real drawcard. It will be great experience for him to come into the environment,” Bailey said on Monday when announcing his inclusion in the second Test squad.
Boland is likely to play the day-night Test if Cummins is ruled out due to his thigh injury and the skipper is considered a 50-50 proposition, according to coach Andrew McDonald.
Starc (45) and Hazlewood (43) sent down plenty of overs in Perth as well so there is a possibility one or both of them could be rested as well given they were bowling on Sunday and have just a three-day rest period before the next Test gets under way.
“Bowling last and a short turnaround puts stress on your bowling stocks,” McDonald said.
Michael Neser celebrates his first Test wicket. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
“You don’t go in and pre-determine what you’re going to do over the summer. We don’t sit here and go this player is going to play that Test match, it’s not as finite as that, it’s play the Test match, we know we’ve got other guys ready and available, see how our guys pull up and then move from there.”
Apart from Morris in the search for future Test quicks, Hardie has also been impressive for WA, more so as an all-rounder in the Cameron Green mould.
Sutherland is another potential candidate down the track. He took 5-58 to bowl the Vics to victory over NSW despite a first innings deficit after claiming four scalps earlier in the match.
Queensland’s Mark Steketee has been on the fringes of the national team over the past couple of years but is already 28 and if he doesn’t get a chance in the next year or two, the selectors may move on to younger options.
Tasmania’s Riley Meredith, who was called into the ODI squad last month, has encouraging first-class figures of 72 wickets at 33.26 from 25 matches, but needs to do more to be a chance of Test honours.
South Australian rising star Jordan Buckingham, Tasmania’s Lawrence Neil-Smith, and NSW seamer Liam Hatcher have shown flashes of potential at first-class level and despite not cementing a spot with their respective states, have been included in the Cricket Australia XI to take on South Africa at Allan Border Field in a four-day clash starting on Friday.