PERTH, (Reuters) – Australia will be unchanged for the second test against New Zealand starting today at the WACA with seamer Peter Siddle again left out of the side, captain Steve Smith said yesterday.
Siddle was dropped from the pace attack in favour of Josh Hazlewood for the opening match of the three-test series, which the hosts won by 208 runs in Brisbane on Monday.
“The conditions are going to be pretty similar to the Gabba,” Smith told reporters. “It looks a very good wicket out there, so we’ve gone in with the same team.”
Although Smith was critical of the new-ball attack at the Gabba, the selectors have retained Hazlewood along with left-armers Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc to bowl on what is traditionally a quick, bouncy wicket at the WACA.
Siddle, who bowled Australia to victory in the final match of the Ashes series earlier this year with figures of 4-35 in the second innings at the Oval, said last week he was “shocked” to have been omitted from the team for the first test.
“(Siddle) was talked about,” Smith added. “He’s bowling really well at the moment but we’ve won the last test with this line-up.”
Smith suggested that Hazlewood might have been left out if only to give him a break.
“Josh’s loads are quite high at the moment — he’s bowled quite a lot over the past month or two,” Smith said. “So it was definitely spoken about. But we think he’s going to do a great job.”
STARC REMINDER
Starc also attracted Smith’s ire for throwing the ball at New Zealand tail ender Mark Craig when Australia were trying to wrap up the victory on Monday, a petulant act that cost the bowler half of his match fee.
“As I said last week, I was pretty disappointed with Starc’s actions out on the field,” Smith said. “I had a chat to him and he responded really well, so hopefully he doesn’t do that again.”
There have been times in recent years when Australia might have considered including Siddle and played four quicks at the WACA.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who had match figures of 4-109 at the Gabba, now appears to be a fixture in the side, however, and Smith said the 27-year-old might have a busy few days as he looked to reduce the workload of the quicks in the Perth heat.
“It’s nice to have a spinner that bowls really well on bouncy tracks,” Smith said. “I think it suits him really well so there’s a good chance he’ll bowl quite a few overs.”
Ahead of only his second match in charge after succeeding Michael Clarke on a permanent basis, Smith was also asked whether he was a “Captain Grumpy” after visibly displaying his own frustration at the tail end of the first test.
“I don’t think I am that grumpy,” he said. “I think everyone has responded really well to me taking over this side.
“It has been a nice smooth transition …”
Team: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
