Australia captain on track for Gabba Ashes Test as Josh Hazlewood defends “Dad’s Army” bowling attack
If you wanted proof that injured Australia captain Pat Cummins was on his way back for the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, you only had to witness the scenes at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday morning.
Cummins, who will miss the opening test in Perth from November 21, has performed well in NSW training and showed no signs of back discomfort.
Australian stand-in captain Steve Smith walked at one stage and threw a pink ball at Cummins – the preferred color for the day-night Test in Brisbane – and then burst into laughter.
They can only hope they win the first match knowing what awaits them before returning to the east coast of England.
While Cummins looked at the goods, fellow members of Australia’s ‘Dad’s Army’ bowling attack, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc, looked every bit as much as they could on 34, 37 and 35 respectively as they stretched out a bit longer than their NSW team-mates ahead of training.
Veterans (back-front) Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc warm up during NSW Sheffield Shield training at the SCG.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers
The British media had a field day at the expense of the aging Australian team selected on Wednesday, with only one member of the 15-man squad under 30.
Hazlewood, Lyon and Starc, who have collected 1,259 Test wickets between them, will prepare for the Ashes with a Sheffield Shield match for the Blues starting on Monday against Victoria and the speedy 36-year-old Scott Boland.
When asked how he felt about the attack being called “vintage”, Hazlewood preferred to use the word “seasoned”.
