Australia’s Test side has been carried by a pace attack second to none for the last several years.
Therefore, there were understandably fears coming into the first Ashes Test on Friday that Australia could be somewhat toothless with strike duo Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined through injury.
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While Cummins’ replacement in Scott Boland has previously shown he can deliver in the Test arena, and Hazlewood’s replacement, Brendan Doggett, excels at Shield level, it was still an undeniable downgrade.
That is because Cummins and Hazlewood are both on-field leaders and the bowlers who usually set the standard for accuracy and intensity.
The pair have taken more than 600 Test wickets, and their absence has seen Australia lose not just speed, but two senior squad members of the side.
In particular, Cummins, who takes a wicket about every 46 deliveries – the highest rate of any of Australia’s top 40 Test wicket takers of all time.
Since becoming Test captain in late 2021, Cummins has also led Australia to 20 wins in 33 matches,
And despite a brilliant start on Day 1, courtesy of Mitchell Starc, Aussie fans’ worst fears were realised as Boland and Doggett struggled to make any meaningful impact.
In the first session, Starc did the business, ripping through the English top order to have figures of 3-24 at the end of his first spell.
Yet Boland was another story entirely, missing his line and length and being the bowler the English batsmen went after.
On Fox Cricket, Michael Vaughan said: “I’ve never seen him (Boland) bowl so many half-volleys.”
While Mark Waugh added, “The loosest three overs I’ve seen him bowl in his whole career”
Doggett had moments of quality, starting with a peach of a first ball and hitting some good lines, but his lack of X-Factor told as he finished his opening spell without a wicket.
So despite Australia’s strong start in the first Test, with England going into lunch at 4-105, there is a sense of unease that the home side was there for the taking without the dynamic duo of Cummins and Hazlewood.
“You can’t help feel that Hazlewood and Cummins had have been bowling with Starc, it could have been 60-5. England might just have got away with one in that session,” cricket fan Erika Morris wrote on X.
“A different game when Starc is not bowling. No Cummins or Hazlewood is relieving the pressure for you at the other end,” Michael Arter added.
While a third said: “Boland and Doggett just don’t offer enough threat”.
Luckily for the Aussies, it didn’t matter in the first innings as Starc destroyed an England side, trying to play the first Test like they were chasing 250 in a T20.Starc ended with career-best figures of 7/58, with England all out for a measly 172.
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