'Cummins' pace makes him better option than Siddle'
Tuesday 14 July 2015 16:49, UK
Michael Holding says Australia should pick Pat Cummins if injury rules Mitchell Starc out of the second Investec Ashes Test at Lord's.
Starc's participation at the Home of Cricket is in doubt after he picked up ankle knock during the Baggy Greens' 169-run first Test loss to England in Cardiff.
The left-armer came through a training session unscathed on Tuesday morning but Sky Sports commentator Holding says if Starc does miss out, he would opt for the extra zip of Cummins as opposed to the more experienced Peter Siddle.
"If I was involved in the Australian hierarchy or dressing-room, I would go for Cummins," Holding said of a player with just six first-class matches and one Test to his name.
"I wouldn't go for Siddle as I think he would do a similar job to what Hazlewood, who doesn't have great pace but was very consistent in Cardiff on a slow pitch, is already doing.
"I am looking for someone with some pace, especially if the pitch at Lord's is like the one against New Zealand earlier this summer - hard and bouncy."
Holding reckons Australia have been severely dented by the retirement of Ryan Harris and the fact Mitchell Johnson finds conditions in England much tougher than in Australia, the 33-year-old averaging 41.92 in this country compared to 24.49 in his homeland.
And the former West Indies seamer feels the tourists will be hoping for a Lord's pitch with extra fizz, not just to aid their seamers but also off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who took six wickets in Wales.
Johnson doesn’t do very well in England. His effectiveness is not what he’d like.
"Australia are missing Ryan Harris, who I think would have been a dynamic bowler in this country," added Holding.
"But we have also seen in the statistics that Johnson doesn't do very well in England - he only has one five-wicket haul here compared to seven in Australia and his effectiveness is not what he'd like.
"Lyon did what he could do [in Cardiff] but spinners need pitches with pace, too, because when the ball turns, you want it to turn at a good pace, not get slow turn."
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