The selectors in Australia are expected to overhaul the top order and bowling lineup for Lord’s, with coach Darren Lehmann vowing to keep challenging England following the narrow loss at Trent Bridge.
Following the 14-run defeat against England at Trent Bridge, Lehmann mentioned that Ed Cowan’s position would be evaluated for the match at Lord’s, emphasizing that the team could not continue to rely on the lower order for rescue.
He indicated that bowlers who were not part of the Trent Bridge match would be considered for the upcoming Test at Lord’s, scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Among those, Ryan Harris seems to be the most probable addition due to his capacity to swing the ball effectively at pace. In contrast, Mitchell Starc, who had a brief moment of brilliance with two wickets in two balls in the second innings yet displayed inconsistency, might be left out.
In 2009 at Lord’s, Mitchell Johnson notably struggled with his accuracy, which is crucial given the ground’s slope. An appealing alternative is Jackson Bird, known for his control.
Cowan made edged cover drives in both innings, resulting in a golden duck and a score of 14, deviating from the defensive role he was selected for. ‘He’ll be disappointed with his shots. We share that disappointment,’ said Lehmann.
‘He faced a difficult match. Like everyone else, you must score runs and perform. Therefore, we’ll convene as a selection panel in the upcoming days to determine the best XI for the next Test and proceed from there… you have to score runs.’
David Warner was set to join Australia’s A tour in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, and there are currently no plans to include an additional batsman in his absence.
Usman Khawaja naturally fits the No. 3 spot, but Lehmann also suggested the possibility of dropping a batsman in favor of selecting five specialist bowlers.
Given the exceptionally dry pitches in England this summer, with Trent Bridge reminding England batsman Ian Bell of the subcontinent, selectors have even contemplated choosing two spinners, namely Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon.
Agar’s impressive debut saw him achieve figures of 2-82 over 35 overs in the second innings and score 98 in his first Test innings, bringing a conclusion to his distinguished career as a No. 11.
‘There have been discussions regarding this. However, it’s challenging to make decisions until we assess the conditions,’ said Lehmann. ‘One might opt for a batter-light approach and field five bowlers. I’m not concerned about that. The goal is to pick the best combination to secure 20 wickets. That’s crucial; we must take 20 wickets to win a Test match. We nearly accomplished that here and fell short. Now, we need to reinforce our strategy for Lord’s. If deciding to include two spinners seems appropriate, we will proceed with that approach.’
Australia’s concerning over-reliance on the last-wicket partnerships is not a fresh issue. In the last 17 Tests since the previous year, the 10th wicket has contributed 686 runs at an average of 40.35.
‘Our tail has been impressively resilient over an extended period, but it’s time for the batsmen to take more responsibility in scoring runs and allowing the tail additional opportunities,’ Lehmann stated. ‘In our first innings alone, we only batted for 63 overs and 110 today. It’s imperative to reverse this trend, focusing on batting for over 120 overs in the first innings to build a solid score.’
England also faces its own challenges, particularly their heavy reliance on Jimmy Anderson, who delivered an outstanding performance with 10 wickets in the match. Steven Finn struggled against Brad Haddin and could potentially make way for either Tim Bresnan or Graham Onions, who have been included in an unchanged 13-man squad.
