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David Warner has cast doubt on his Australia team-mate Mitchell Starc’s chances of being fit to bowl in this week’s second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
Starc is suffering from an ongoing ankle problem and even though he took seven wickets as England won the opening match of the Investec Series in Cardiff, the left-arm quick was in obvious discomfort.
Australia have nominated reserve seamer Peter Siddle for media duty tomorrow, a possible indication that he will play at Lord’s and Starc will miss out. If he did, it would be another huge blow to Australia’s bowling attack, already shorn of Ryan Harris, who was forced to retire through injury during the early stages of the tour. Of Starc, Warner said: “He was bowling in some serious pain, that poor fellow. Every time he landed on the crease he was cringing.”
Australia were far from thrilled with the conditions they found in Cardiff, with the low, slow wicket drawing the sting of Mitchell Johnson, who took 37 wickets in the last Ashes series.
Aussie coach Darren Lehmann has called for a more responsive track at Lord’s and Warner, who made 17 and 52, admits he finds batting difficult on such surfaces. With similar pitches expected for the remainder of the series, it is Warner said: “He was bowling in some serious pain. Every time he landed on the crease he was cringing.”
Australia were far from thrilled with the conditions they found in Cardiff, with the low, slow wicket drawing the sting of Mitchell Johnson, who took 37 wickets in the last Ashes series.
Aussie coach Darren Lehmann has called for a more responsive track at Lord’s and Warner, who made 17 and 52, admits he finds batting difficult on such surfaces. With similar pitches expected for the remainder of the series, it is quite an admission from Australia’s most explosive batsman. He told Sky Sports News Radio: “I don’t think you’re ever ‘in’ on these types of wickets. There is always that one bunch of clouds that come over, so it starts swinging.”
