BHUBANESWAR | WEDNESDAY I JULY 31, 2019 sport 16 KHAWAJA, PATTINSON LOCKED FOR EDGBASTON OPENER Langer confirms Usman to bat at 3 in 1st Ashes Test as Pattinson set to play first red-ball game since Feb 2016 Bancroft, not selected for the has been extraordinary." one-day tournament, will Langer, a former Australia almost certainly experience opener, said: "We know what more of the same given he was the reception is going to be. the one who actually applied There's nothing we can do sandpaper to the ball during a about it. We don't know (how Test away to South Africa in a he will cope) actually, but we'll blatant flouting of 's find out. rulebook. "He's a good kid and as "It would be a great story if tough as anyone you could he comes back into the team," meet. To endure the scrutiny of Langer said at Edgbaston on the past 14 months, especially Tuesday. the first part of it, I think he's "His development after had a pretty good dress what happened in Cape Town rehearsal."

AFP n BIRMIGHAM , who Langer with plenty of and three for every game. says is “fine” after copping a match experience in English “It won’t be different oppo- ustralia coach Justin nasty blow above his left knee conditions this season under his sition, certainly different condi- Langer says Usman in the nets on Monday after- belt. tions.” AKhawaja and James noon, , Tim “Like in all these selections, The selectors also have to Pattinson are set to play in the Paine, , Nathan there’s literally a case for 17 settle on a middle order, with Ashes opener as the selectors Lyon and now Khawaja and blokes to play,” Langer said. incumbent No 6 Kurtis prepare to make several crunch Pattinson appear the certainties “The opening partnership’s Patterson missing selection in decisions in Birmingham. in the XI to take on England. going to be really tough, the Ashes squad. Langer confirmed Khawaja Langer says deciding who between Cameron (Bancroft) Tasmania’s Matt Wade and passed a fitness test on his will open the with and Marcus Harris, really hard. Queenslander Marnus hamstring on Monday and will Warner and the third specialist “They’ve both got a really Labuschagne appear to be the bat at No 3 in the first Ashes Test fast bowler are at the forefront strong case, and then the fast main contenders, but Langer at Edgbaston starting Thursday, of the selection panel’s minds. spots. did not rule out allrounder while only a last-minute setback Marcus Harris is the incum- “There’s probably three to Mitch Marsh making his Test will prevent Pattinson from bent Test opener, Australia’s be fair, (Mitch Starc), Peter return. playing in his first Test since leading run-scorer against world Siddle and for “Time will tell,” Langer said February 2016. No1 India last summer and one spot. with a wry grin. “ will def- posted a century against Sussex “Three pretty good players initely be in,” Langer told on the Australia A tour two to try to find a spot for, I reck- HOSTILE RECEPTION reporters in Birmingham. games ago. on.” Australia coach Justin “He’s fit, ready to go, he’s was Whoever of the pace trio Langer says an Ashes return for playing well. Australia’s Test opener before he misses out, they will likely get a Cameron Bancroft would be "a “He’s a seasoned pro for us, was suspended, has been in game throughout the campaign great story" but knows he will he averages 40-odd in Test solid form for Durham in as the selectors look to assem- face a hostile reception from cricket, his hammy (hamstring) Division Two of the County ble a attack to suit England fans after his ball- is good, he’s running well, he’s Championship and scored a each specific venue. tampering ban. passed all the fitness tests so he’s match-winning 93 on a But do not mistake the Bancroft, 26, is set to open ready to go. He’ll bat No 3.” challenging pitch in last week’s chopping and changing as rota- the batting in Thursday's first Commenting on Pattinson, intra-squad clash in tion, says Langer. Test at Edgbaston, with Langer said: “It’s a great story Southampton. “They (the fast bowlers) Australia's top order also likely isn’t it, coming back from where As for the third quick, it is won’t be rotated as such,” he to feature David Warner and he was as a young bowler, the hard to split Josh Hazlewood, said. Steve Smith. back surgeries, to more than Mitch Starc and . “Like in the World Cup we’ll If that is the case, it would likely being selected for this Test Hazlewood is finding his pick the best three or four for mean all three players who match, it’s a great story.” groove after returning from a every game we play. “Lord’s is were banned for their roles in While those two pieces of back injury he suffered in very different to here the ball-tampering scandal in the selection puzzle have been January, Starc continues to (Edgbaston), Old Trafford’s South Africa last year would be locked in, Langer and his fellow adjust to the red Dukes ball after going to be different, so that’s in Australia's XI. national selectors — Trevor finishing the World Cup as the how. Smith and Warner have Hohns and Greg Chappell — leading -taker for the “We won’t rotate them per already experienced plenty of now must fill in the rest of the second-straight tournament, se, but we’ll just pick the best boos from English crowds dur- gaps. while Siddle is purring along three, probably not four, but ing the recent World Cup. Amir’s Test exit was on cards

PTI n LAHORE akistan head coach Mickey PArthur is not surprised by Mohammed Amir’s decision to retire from Tests at the age of 27 as he feels the pacer’s career in the longest format was consid- erably damaged by the spot-fix- ing ban he served. Amir was banned for five years for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal in England. He returned to all for- mats of the game in 2015 but announced his retirement from Tests on Friday after having played 36 Tests with 119 scalps in his chequered career. “He (Amir) had five years out of the game...In those five years, he didn’t do anything. His body was not up to the rigours of day in, day out ,” Arthur told ESPNCricinfo. “We pushed him as much as we could during the England and South Africa series, because he is such a good bowler whom we wanted during those tours. We’ve tried everything we pos- sibly could with Amir. “He could have managed those five years better. He’d be the first one to acknowledge that. But I understand where he was in his whole life, so it was a tough period for him. I under- better. But he’s not the bowler said. stand all that,” Arthur said. now that he was in 2009 and The South African said that Arthur felt Amir would 2010. He was different, his the left-arm fast bowler had have been one of the best Test body was different,” he said. been thinking about it for over fast bowlers in Pakistan’s histo- “Making a connection a year. ry had he not lost those five between the bowler now and “It was on the cards for a years to the spot-fixing ban. then would be wrong. But had long while. Amir had been “The Amir hype all those he not had those five years out speaking to me about it with me years ago was justified because of the game, I think he would for some time now. His Test he is a quality bowler. When the be up there with the very best career was taking a strain on his ball swings there’s not much Pakistan have ever had,” he body,” Arthur said.