Aussie spin gamble no longer a ‘one-off’; four-year agony almost over: MCG Test Taking Pts

England will be playing for nothing but pride — and perhaps World Test Championship points — during this week’s Boxing Day Test at the MCG after losing the Ashes in just 11 days.

Australia retained the coveted urn last week by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, creating dead rubbers for the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

The tourists have already announced their starting XI for the Boxing Day clash, confirming two changes, while Australia has lost captain Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for the remainder of the series.

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at the MCG on Friday at 10.30 am AEDT.

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SPIN SNUB NO LONGER A ‘ONE-OFF’

When veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was dropped for the July’s Jamaica Test against the West Indies, national selector Tony Dodemaide described the gamble as a “one-off”.

However, that appears to no longer be the case.

For the third time in five Tests, Australia has opted against picking a strike spinner, with stand-in captain Steve Smith confirming that Victorian tweaker Todd Murphy will not play the Boxing Day contest at the MCG.

Smith emphasised that conditions were to blame for the surprise omission, not Murphy’s skill. The Australians expect grey skies and a green seamer at the iconic venue this week, with the hosts set to unleash an all-pace attack in Melbourne.

However, the door was left ajar for Murphy to earn a recall for next week’s series finale at the SCG.

“I think a lot of the wickets that we’re playing on at present are more seam-friendly than spin-friendly,” Smith told reporters on Thursday morning.

“Last week was an anomaly. We saw some rough and we saw Nathan come into play big time last week.

“It’s a tricky one. You’ve got to play what surface you’re presented with. This one out here looks like it’s going to offer a fair bit of assistance for the seam bowlers, and the weather throughout the week looks conducive for that as well.

“I think if Nathan was here, we’d still be having the same conversation so it’s nothing to do with Todd’s skill.

“We know he’s a quality player. He’s played some games for Australia and has done really well. I’m sure he’ll be a pretty good chance to play next week in Sydney.”

When Shane Warne stepped away from Test cricket in early 2007, his departure prompted a merry-go-round of spin candidates in the national side, before the Australians eventually settled on Lyon in 2013.

Twelve years later, Australia is at risk of entering another era of uncertainty in the spin department, particularly as home conditions continue to favour pace bowlers. Although Murphy has been earmarked as Lyon’s heir apparent, Western Australia’s Corey Rocchiccioli has been the best spinner in the Sheffield Shield over the last two years, while Tasmania’s Matthew Kuhnemann is preferred for Tests in the subcontinent.

Lyon’s hamstring injury in Adelaide has accelerated Australia’s spin succession plan.

NO ARCHER, NO WOOD, NO BROAD, NO ANDERSON

Things have gone from bad to worse for England.

Having already lost the Ashes urn, the tourists were handed another frustrating injury setback on the eve of the MCG Boxing Day Test, with speedster Jofra Archer ruled out of the remainder of the series with a side strain.

The 30-year-old has arguably been England’s best player of the tour to date, taking nine wickets at 27.11, also cracking a maiden Test half-century in Adelaide last week. It comes after fellow quick Mark Wood, the most experienced bowler in England’s squad, was ruled out of the series having produced 11 wicketless overs in Perth.

The duo’s absence leaves a gaping hole in England’s starting XI. Archer and Wood have terrorised Australia’s batters during previous Ashes campaigns in 2019 and 2023, and the team’s bowling attack looks considerably less intimidating in their absence.

Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, England’s pace trio for the Boxing Day Test collectively have 34 Test caps between them. Atkinson hardly threw a punch across the first two matches, dropped for last week’s Adelaide Test, while Carse has conceded 5.08 runs per over across this series.

The inexperienced trio will be accompanied by all-rounder Will Jacks, who leaked more than 100 runs in both innings of the Adelaide Test, and the injury-prone Ben Stokes, who has already shown signs of fatigue this summer.

England touched down on Australian soil last month with what was proclaimed the fastest bowling attack in a generation, but without the reliable no James Anderson or Stuart Broad at their disposal, the team’s reliance on pace has come back to bite them.

“Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum said goodbye to Jimmy Anderson a couple of years ago. I can’t imagine what he would have been thinking watching Brydon Carse open the bowling,” former England bowler Isa Guha said last week.

GREEN DEMOTION EXPOSES AUSSIE HEADACHE

Australia’s success in the Ashes hasn’t overshadowed a worrying form slump for young all-rounder Cameron Green.

Since returning from back surgery at the start of the year, the West Australian has averaged 22.00 in Tests, with one half-century in 12 knocks. He’s made valuable contributions with the ball, but his lack of runs is quickly becoming a cause for concern.

Green was entrusted with batting at No. 3 for June’s World Test Championship final at the Lord’s and the Caribbean tour against the West Indies. But courtesy of a top-order reshuffle and his batting struggles, the right-hander has slipped down to No. 7 for the Boxing Day Test, slotting in below wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

“He’s bowling really nicely. In terms of his batting, he probably hasn’t got the output that he’s wanted so far,” Australian stand-in captain Steve Smith said of Green.

“But he’s had a couple of really good starts where he’s looked really nice and comfortable at the crease. It’s about making those starts and turning them into bigger scores.

“We’ve seen how talented he is and what he can do with the bat, ball and in the field. He’s saved us a truckload of runs at gully with balls that no one else is going to stop.

“Hopefully he can have a really good week. He’s trained really well, he looks to be in a good place, and hopefully he can make some runs.”

With all-rounder Beau Webster waiting in the wings, Green knows he’s running out of chances to cement his spot in the Test starting XI.

“He hasn’t got the runs that he would like,” Australian coach Andrew McDonald said.

“I think he’s bowled some important spells for us. His catching in the gully and shot-stopping ability there. Yeah, the returns haven’t been there, but we’ve also seen what capabilities and the upside that he has, and he’s an important part of what we’re setting out to achieve in the short term and the long term. And he’s a very good cricketer, and I’m sure that his next opportunity, he’ll be able to show that whenever that may be.”

ENGLAND PULLS TRIGGER ON NO. 3 GAMBLE

England has finally lost faith in Ollie Pope.

The writing was on the wall ahead of the tour when Pope was stripped of the vice-captaincy and replaced by Harry Brook. After an underwhelming couple of years in the Test side, the Surrey product was at risk of losing his spot in the starting XI, with young all-rounder Jacob Bethell breathing down his neck.

The England selectors backed Pope for three Ashes Tests before growing frustrated with his lack of output, dropping him for the Boxing Day Test, arguably a few matches too late. He had not managed a century across his last 14 Test knocks, passing fifty just once across that period.

The 27-year-old has a woeful record against Australia, averaging 17.62 across eight Tests with no fifties. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc boast higher averages in Ashes contests.

Australia’s bouncy decks have exposed Pope’s skittish approach with the willow, repeatedly flashing at length deliveries and edging towards the slips cordon or chipping drives in the air.

Despite Pope’s struggles against high-quality opposition, he does have nine Test hundreds to his name. His replacement doesn’t even have a first-class century.

Bethell, an undeniable talent, has become a regular member of England’s white-ball teams, leading his country during a recent tour of Ireland. The 22-year-old even made an Indian Premier League cameo earlier this year.

However, he only averages 28.27 at first-class level with his high score of 96, numbers that hardly warrant selection at No. 3 in a Test side.

Bethell batted at first drop during last year’s Test tour of New Zealand, averaging 52.00 across the three-match series against the Black Caps. He also provides an additional bowling option with his part-time spin.

Albeit earmarked as a player of the future, England has thrown Bethell in the deep end halfway through a challenging Ashes tour.

HIATUS ALMOST OVER AFTER FOUR-YEAR AGONY

If selected for this week’s Boxing Day Test, Jhye Richardson will end an agonising four-year hiatus from the Test arena.

The West Australian, who trained with the Australian squad in Adelaide last week, burst onto the scene in 2019 when he made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, taking five wickets in an impressive outing. However, he was ruled out of that year’s World Cup campaign due to a shoulder injury.

The right-armer returned to Australia’s Test side during the 2021/22 Ashes, taking a five-wicket haul during the day-night contest in Adelaide, but injury kept him out of the remainder of the series, opening the door for Scott Boland’s unforgettable MCG debut.

Across the four years since, Richardson has endured a long-standing shoulder issue that has repeatedly interrupted his career, causing recurrent dislocations and affecting his fielding. Last summer, he underwent surgery after dislodging his shoulder while high-fiving a teammate during a Sheffield Shield game.

But despite the relentless setbacks, national selectors have remained committed to the 29-year-old, keeping him on the central contract list and supporting him through his gradual, prolonged return from shoulder surgery.

And their confidence in Richardson could be rewarded at the MCG this week.

“He’s just got a great set of skills,” Smith said.

“He swings the ball both ways, he seams it, he’s accurate and he’s a bit skiddier than some of the others because he’s a bit shorter.

“We’ve seen when he has the opportunity at this level that he’s been outstanding. If he gets his opportunity tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll be excited because it’s been a long lay-off for him and he’s done all the work to get back.”

Smith confirmed that two of Richardson, Michael Neser or Brendan Doggett will play the MCG Test this week.