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Australia have been asked to bowl first by England at Edgbaston after the visitors made the call to leave Mitchell Starc out of the first Ashes Test.
Captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood would both play, leaving Starc as the unlucky man out.
“Tough call, especially on Mitchy,” said Cummins at Friday’s toss. “I thought he was very impressive last week (in the World Test Championship final) but there’s a squad mentality.
“It’s a good problem to have, having someone like Josh Hazlewood coming in.”
Cummins confirmed that he would have batted too if he’d called heads correctly.
England captain Ben Stokes’ decision to bat first marks the first time he has done so in a home Test, with the team generally preferring to chase in the fourth innings.
But the Edgbaston wicket looks flat, and there are clear skies overhead in Birmingham on Friday.
“It looks a really good wicket, a good toss to win, but now we’re gonna have to go out and put some runs on the board,” Stokes said.
Coach Andrew McDonald, captain Pat Cummins and selector George Bailey had been engaged in a lengthy pitch-side chat early on Thursday afternoon before training.
And the pitch itself looks more like a wicket you would see in Australia than the green seamers that England have traditionally rolled out for Ashes contests.
Looking dry and straw coloured, it is expected to be flat but not quite as fast as an Australian wicket, which is exactly what Stokes was hoping to see as it suits their Bazball up-tempo style.
Boland had not previously been picked in a full-strength Australian attack, with all seven of his previous Tests having been played with Hazlewood out injured.
But the incredible start to his career has made him near undroppable, after taking 33 wickets at an average of 14.57.
Hazlewood has been limited to four Tests in the past two years, having battled a run of side strain injuries and an Achilles problem.
But his control in England and the promise of a fresh body who did not play in last week’s World Test Championship win over India at The Oval would have been a lure for selectors.
Starc was expensive in that final, and while Australia value his wicket-taking edge he has now been left out of an attack when fit for the first time since the 2019 Ashes.
Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald inspect the pitch. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Australia will likely rotate the three quicks through the English summer, with fellow paceman Cummins keen to play all five Tests as captain.
England had confirmed their side earlier in the week, with veterans Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the attack and their fastest quick Mark Wood overlooked.
Stokes was looking forward to the much-hyped series finally reaching lift off.
“It’s an amazing feeling. After all the hype that’s been around this series for the last six months, it’s obviously a very special moment for me and for the rest of the guys.”
None of Australia’s quicks bowled on Thursday, as is convention on the day before a match.
AUSTRALIA: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
ENGLAND: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.
with AAP
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