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Australia have made the bold call to drop spinner Todd Murphy to accommodate both Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh in their line-up for the fourth Ashes Test.
David Warner has yet again survived as opener despite his ongoing struggles and twin failures at Headingley in the third Test when Stuart Broad dismissed him cheaply in both innings to make it 17 times at Test level that he’s taken the left-hander’s wicket.
Green was rested from the loss at Leeds with a slight hamstring strain and after Marsh smashed a superb 118 off as many balls in his first Test in four years, the Australian selectors have kept him in the line-up.
Josh Hazlewood also returns to bolster the pace attack with Scott Boland making way after an ineffective series thus far.
Murphy was used for less than 10 overs across the two innings of the third Test by captain Pat Cummins after being recalled following Nathan Lyon’s calf injury and has been squeezed out so that Green can return.
Todd Murphy bowls during a net session in Nagpur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
For the first time in his Test career Green will play as one of the four frontline bowlers, listed to bat at No.7 behind Marsh.
The selection changes means Australia’s tail is much stronger with Alex Carey to come in at eight before Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood.
Rainy conditions are forecast in Manchester which could aid Australia’s all-pace attack even though Old Trafford has been known to take spin later in matches.
A draw will be enough for the tourists to retain the Ashes as they lead 2-1 while a win would give Australia a first series victory in England since 2001.
Playing the two all-rounders to lengthen the specialist batters in the line-up is also a protective measure against Warner’s lack of output at the top of the order, similar to when Michael Bevan was chosen as a spinning all-rounder to bat at seven during Mark Taylor’s famous form slump in 1997.
It’s not quite cricket’s equivalent of parking the bus for a draw but it’s not far off.
Cummins said Murphy’s time would come but for this Test they believe seamers will have more impact.
“Nathan Lyon is the greatest offspinner we’ve ever had so it’s not quite apples for apples,” Cummins told reporters in his final pre-game media conference.
“We are really excited by Todd, think he’s fantastic. Would have loved to use him a bit more last week, think conditions just favoured pace bowling.
“We played a Test in Hobart last year in the Ashes where Nath didn’t bowl an over.
“It’s all conditions-based. We are really excited by Todd, we love having him around, he’s got a big future.”
Travis Head will be Australia’s main spinning option and he has jagged wickets at Test level, including two in this series.
“When he started his career with Australia he was basically the frontline spinner in ODI cricket, bowled 10 overs quite a bit, and I think he’s got better and better,” Cummins said.
“When Nath played he obviously hasn’t had to bowl much, but still provides something a little bit different to Nath so we have used him a little bit.
“He’s really confident, he defends himself well, uses a bit of drift as much as spin and he’s quite clever.
“I’ve got a lot a confidence in his bowling, and we’ve got Smithy (Steve Smith) and Marny (Marnus Labuschagne) who can bowl some leggies, too.”
Retaining Warner will raise plenty of eyebrows after he has cobbled together just 141 runs at 23.5 with a sole half-century at Lord’s.
“Some of the roles he has had to play are in tough times this series,” Cummins said. “It hasn’t been easy for Uzzy and Dave in particular when they have walked out to bat under lights.
“He might not have scored the Test runs he would have liked in the last couple of years, but in ODIs and T20s he is still showing his class. We’re really happy with how he is going.”
AUSTRALIA: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood.
with AAP