Page Fast to Rebuke Pitch Slur
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62 SPORT SUNDAY DECEMBER 10 2017 I HAVE LET MY Mitchell Starc Page fast COUNTRY DOWN England all-rounder Moeen Ali has had a poor tour so far to rebuke Picture: AAP pitch slur BRADEN QUARTERMAINE CURATOR Matt Page wants the ball to “fly through” when the third Test starts at the WACA Ground on Thursday and expects world cricket’s most famous pitch to be quick- er than last summer’s strip. Page hit back at criticism of his wickets after former bats- man Dean Jones described re- cent WACA pitches as “dribble dead crap”. Spearhead Mitchell Starc led a groundswell of calls for Page to prepare “the WACA of old” as Australia attempts to win its first Test in Perth for four years and regain the Ashes. WA coach Justin Langer wants green grass to be left on the pitch for the last Ashes Test at the venue, describing the Sheffield Shield strips this season as flat. Jones tweeted: “Memo to WACA curator, please prepare a fast, bouncy traditional WACA wicket for the 3rd Test. Not the dribble dead crap you have served up over the last 4 years or so!” Page fired back: “Every- one’s got their opinion on it. PAUL NEWMAN cuse. I didn’t want to get car- You talk to players and some ried away last summer and say it’s quick and some say it’s MOEEN Ali believes he has Fresh booze bother for England cricket say I was a world-class spin- slow. There’s always pressure. let England and his captain ENGLAND’S Ashes campaign has year-old batsman, who has ner because I knew how hard “Obviously this time of year Joe Root down by failing to been rocked by another booze- played four Tests and three it was going to be in Australia. there’s more scrutiny. It’s just a make an impact in the Ashes. related incident, with Ben ODIs, was out drinking on “I just feel there is still a lot case of blocking that out and The off-spinner has been a Duckett stood down from their Thursday night. of work to be done on my producing the best you can.” shadow of his usual self in two tour game in Perth. He has been suspended bowling and hopefully it will Page admitted the pitch Tests where his opposite num- Duckett isn’t part of England’s pending investigation and faces get better in this series.” from 2015 was disappointing, ber, Nathan Lyon, has proved Test squad but he was among a a disciplinary hearing. If there is one player you with a drawn run-fest against the scourge of England. handful of England A players set It’s understood the episode can guarantee will not get in- New Zealand. But he was happy Now Ali, who scored 24 in to feature in the two-day fixture occurred at a Perth bar. volved in the sledging that has with the pitch for last summer’s yesterday’s warm-up against a alongside Moeen Ali. But the 23- Police were not called. Ben Duckett been such a feature of the Perth Test, when South Africa Cricket Australia XI, has taken opening two Tests, it is Ali. defeated Australia by 177 runs. his share of the blame for En- His Muslim faith has given “I’d be hopeful that it will be gland falling two down with “He has a lot more interna- Perth’s Richardson Park yes- that kept him out of the open- him a calm and even tempera- definitely quicker than last three Tests to play. tional experience than me and terday as England reached ing two warm-up games of this ment, which makes it highly year. Absolutely,” Page said. “You feel like you’ve let the we do have different roles.” 7-201 at tea. tour and then a cut to his spin- unlikely he would ever lose “We’ll play around with a team down and the captain Lyon, now the leading Test Gary Ballance had hoped a ning finger. his temper on a cricket field. few things and try and get it so especially,” said Ali, who has wicket-taker of 2017, has dis- big knock could help his cause That is still enough of a He has, though, been sub- we can see it (ball) fly through taken two wickets so far com- missed Ali four times out of for selection in the third Test concern for him to decide not jected to the odd distasteful on Thursday. You want to see pared to Lyon’s 11. four here. but he scored a single run and to bowl in this two-day prac- comment from the crowd. the ball flying through to the “It’s not easy. “I’m not too concerned lasted just 12 deliveries. tice match. “Someone asked me what wicketkeeper. That’s what the “Lyon is bowling so well about a pattern,” Ali said. Ali is captaining the side as “I don’t know why it hasn’t time my kebab shop opened,” WACA’s been about since the and you compare yourself to “But it is the best I’ve seen the only first-choice England worked out here so far for said Ali without a hint of anger. 1970s and that’s the history of that and try even harder. But him bowl.” player in the team but has not me,” said the 30-year-old. “That’s about it. There’s the wicket here. That’s what it’s where I’m at with my game. Ali had little to celebrate at been helped by the side injury “The finger is not an ex- been nothing major.” we always strive for.” Maxwell catches Langer’s eye during Shield WADE SET TO UNLEASH FREE from the uncertainty surrounding his Test GLENN Maxwell continues to im- best 278 for Victoria in the Sheffield such temperament ... I was very im- position and the harsh scrutiny which came with it, press all manner of good judges, with Shield. pressed.” Matthew Wade is ready to unleash when he lines Test great Justin Langer the latest to Maxwell backed it up with a Mitch Marsh’s call-up ahead of up with the Hurricanes in the Big Bash League. laud the Victorian’s run-scoring knock of 96 against Langer-coached Maxwell has generated plenty of de- After starting the summer as the incumbent spree and composure at the crease. Western Australia at the MCG. bate but Langer said selectors clearly gloveman in Australia’s Test and one-day sides, Maxwell’s long wait for a home Langer is widely tipped to replace wanted to summon an all-rounder Wade lost his spot to Tigers teammate Tim Paine. Test continues after he was over- Darren Lehmann as Australia’s capable of coming off the long run. Axed for a lack of runs in the first three looked in the 13-man squad named coach in 2019 and was in charge of Maxwell must refocus on the Big Sheffield Shield games, Wade bounced back to for the Ashes clash that starts in the national team when Maxwell Bash League for now but Langer sug- form with a quickfire 72 not out in the last-round Perth on Thursday. was dropped during an ODI tour last gested his chance to shine in the victory against NSW. The all-rounder was axed for the year. baggy green could come soon: “When “I have been dropped before, it’s not the end of first Ashes Test, called into Brisbane “Glenn Maxwell batted brilliantly you go to Sydney or Melbourne, the world,” he said. “I still get the opportunity to play as injury cover then shipped off to in the last Shield game,” Langer said maybe you might look at Glenn Max- cricket with Tassie and hopefully hold my one-day Sydney, where he scored a career- in Perth. “I’d never seen him bat with well as the all-rounder.” Matthew Wade spot. It didn’t go my way but you have to move on.” NTNE01Z01MA - V1.