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Neser to start after paceman ruled out, Hazlewood in doubt for next Test, Windies ring in changes

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8th December, 2022
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Australia will be without two of their frontline quicks in Adelaide with Michael Neser to replace a sore Josh Hazlewood against West Indies.

Neser spent Thursday afternoon marking his run up on Adelaide Oval, before it was confirmed he would come in for his second Test.

It is the second time Neser has become a last-minute addition in Adelaide, after he made his debut there last year when Pat Cummins was ruled out as a COVID-19 close contact.

The hosts are already without Cummins for the Test with a quad injury, with Scott Boland already confirmed to play in his place.

Steve Smith will captain in Cummins’ absence and after winning the toss, he elected to bat on what looks to be a batting friendly wicket.

In Hazlewood’s case, he bowled more than 40 overs across the two innings in Perth and has not bowled in the nets since.

Smith said he was not sure whether Hazlewood would be right to play next week’s Test against South Africa.

Mitchell Starc has been cleared to play, with the left-armer in pursuit of his 300th Test wicket.

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West Indies also have several injury issues for the second Test of the Frank Worrell Trophy series, with 36-year-old Omar Phillips called out of grade cricket to act as an emergency fielder.

It comes as Nkrumah Bonner was ruled out of the clash with concussion.

Fast bowler Marquino Mindley will debut just 48 hours after flying in from the Caribbean, with quicks Kemar Roach (hamstring) and young seamer Jayden Seales (knee) out. Anderson Phillip has also been called in to bolster the seam attack with Devon Thomas replacing Bonner in the batting line-up.

Smith looks to England

Australian stand-in skipper Steve Smith has been sounding out English counties about the possibility of signing a short-team deal before next year’s Ashes.

According to a report in the UK Telegraph, he is looking to get three or four matches under his belt before Australia potentially plays the World Test Championship at The Oval in June as a prelude to the Ashes series.

Whether he lines up in the BBL this summer is still unclear although it is largely in the hands of Cricket Australia after the Sydney Sixers filled the last two spots on their roster with domestic players.

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Smith remains unsigned for this year’s tournament, with all rosters having been finalised and the Sixers announcing the re-signing of Jack and Mickey Edwards.

The 33-year-old could theoretically still feature as a replacement player, with spots to open up in the Sixers roster when overseas players leave in early January.

The Sixers have so far held back from signing replacements, but under current rules Smith could only be paid $2500 per match in that scenario.

The other remaining option is for CA to offer Smith a contract as part of its marketing spend, with a similar option offered to David Warner to lure him back to the competition.

Steve Smith of Australia celebrates reaching a century.
Steve Smith of Australia celebrates reaching a century. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Smith would only be available for four regular-season matches plus up to two finals, depending on yet-to-be-finalised tour plans for India.

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However he would be one of the competition’s biggest drawcards, particularly in a season that is already missing Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh through injury.

The stand-in Test captain confirmed on Wednesday that his management were discussing the issue, which is believed to be being seriously considered, with CA.

Those conversations began when Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley was in Perth last week, after the Sixers had already finalised the signatures of all 18 players on their books. 

“My manager is in talks at the moment with CA,” Smith said on Wednesday. “But I’m just focusing on this week and the Test match and doing what we can to win this series 2-0. 

“That’s the goal; playing some good cricket and hopefully getting the result at the end of the week.”

The development comes after Smith was not allowed to play in the back-end of last year’s BBL tournament despite his eagerness, as he had not registered for the COVID-19 player replacement pool.

Stokes prepared for more Pakistan drama

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Ben Stokes has revealed England could be even more “adventurous” in their approach in the second Test against Pakistan in Multan.

England thrilled a packed Rawalpindi Stadium in the first Test of the series, clinching a famous 74-run win after taking five wickets in the final session.

The tourists had already battled a viral infection in the camp ahead of the game and were fighting against the rapidly-fading light when Jack Leach took the match-winning wicket.

For Stokes, the smog and fog swirling around Multan could prompt yet more innovative tactics.

“In this Test, if it does pan out the way that it could potentially, with the late start and early finish, we could end up having only 300-350 overs in the Test match,” he said.

“We might have to get even a bit more adventurous with what we do. We’ll see.”

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The England captain explained that on Tuesday morning it was not possible to see the boundary from the strip due to the fog at the Multan Cricket Stadium, with play not possible until later in the day.

The reduced overs would usually limit the possibility of either side winning the game, but Stokes has yet to draw a Test match since he took over the captaincy full-time.

“If it rains for four days, good luck trying to get a result out of a Test match over one day, or two days, but if you get a good amount of time out of a Test match I’ll always be trying to plan, and talk to Baz (Brendon McCullum) about ways in which we can try and force a result, either way,” Stokes said when pressed about his aversion to the draw.

“I might declare without batting one day, who knows?”

Marnus regains top spot as Aussie duo create history

Australia can lay claim to having the two best batsmen in world cricket for the first time in 14 years, after Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith ascended to the top of the ICC rankings.

After the pair’s dominant Perth Test against West Indies where they scored 528 runs between them for the loss of just one wicket, both have gained a significant ratings boost.

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Labuschagne’s scores of 204 and 104no were enough to propel him to No.1 in the world for the first time since June, knocking Joe Root off his perch.

After rising to No.1 in the world for the first time last December, the Queenslander now has the chance to finish a second straight year there.

Smith has gone from No.4 to No.2 off the back off his unbeaten 200 at Optus Stadium, reclaiming a spot he last held in 2021.

The dynamic duo’s climb marks the first time since Mike Hussey and Ricky Ponting in 2008 that Australia has commanded the top two spots.

Smith’s return to form in particular with his remodelled technique has sent an ominous warning ahead of Australia’s massive year of cricket.

“I don’t think anyone can be more excited than him,” coach Andrew McDonald said. 

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 30: Marnus Labuschagne of Australia bats during day one of the First Test match between Australia and the West Indies at Optus Stadium on November 30, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

(Photo by Quinn Rooney – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

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“We are excited. He works hard on his game and everyone who has seen him in the back room working on his game in the nets with Diva (Michael Di Venuto) knows that. 

“The amount of hours that is invested to make that change repeatable for what he’s about to embark on is incredibly impressive. 

“So we’re excited for him, he’s excited, and him and Marnus have got off to a flying start to the summer.”

The Australian pair’s rise came as Root dropped back to No.4 in the world behind Babar Azam in third spot, the Englishman paying the price for missing out on the Rawalpindi road.

Pat Cummins remains the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, giving Australia the double with bat and ball. The team also remains in No.1 spot in Test cricket.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon moved up one place to 15th among bowlers after an eight-wicket haul that helped complete a 164-run victory and consolidate his team’s top position in the WTC points table.

Simmons wants more pink-ball Tests

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West Indies coach Phil Simmons has warned Test-playing nations to follow Australia’s lead in embracing pink-ball matches or risk falling behind in day-night games as the concept reaches a critical juncture.

Once sold as the great future of Test cricket, pink-ball matches have become particularly scarce anywhere outside of Australia or India in recent years. In Australia, the fixture has become an annual part of the calendar, while matches have also been played in Brisbane, Perth and Hobart.

Television ratings have traditionally boomed, while crowds remain stable with the capacity for the matches to attract fans outside of the traditional holiday period.  Elsewhere though, pink-ball Tests are rare.

Of the 19 day-night Tests played in history, 10 of them have been in Australia. And no country outside of Australia or India has hosted one in almost four-and-a-half years.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are among nations yet to host a day-night match, while no other country aside from Australia or India have gone back to the well after holding their maiden one.

“I think it should (be played more),” Simmons said. “It has brought out a lot of excitement. I watched the one with India in Kolkata and there was a lot of excitement around that. 

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“Other teams outside of India and Australia have to start playing it a little more. And then when they come here there will be better competition and a bit more exciting game. 

“I think there is a place for it and it is something that everyone should be looking at.”

To Simmons’ point, Australia’s experience with the pink-ball is no doubt part of the reason why they remain unbeaten under lights in Test cricket.

Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has also become a pro in preparing day-night wickets, leaving some form of extra grass on to offer grip for spinners.

Mitchell Starc is the leading wicket-taker in the format with his ability to swing the ball, while captains have gone part way to perfecting the art of knowing when to declare and how to time innings.

But their greater test is set to come in India in February, with a day-night match expected to be played in Ahmedabad.

India are also unbeaten at home in pink-ball Tests, with spinners taking 19 wickets for the hosts in the one day-night match played at Ahmedabad in 2021.

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“Axar Patel was getting a lot of skid and getting lbws and things like that,” Steve Smith said. “It’s kind of different compared to here, where we see the seamers generally taking the bulk of the wickets. 

“It’s interesting just the different ways the games have been played over the time that the pink ball’s been around. I’m sure other teams are looking at ways to implement it into their calendar as well.”

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