Australia confirm playing XI for Manchester Test

Australia skipper Pat Cummins confirmed that the team would make changes for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester.

Australia are going in with an all-out pace attack at Old Trafford for the crucial fourth Test of the Ashes series.

A day ahead of the match, the Australian captain confirmed that Josh Hazlewood would return to the XI at the expense of Scott Boland, who has had an ordinary run in the series. 

Todd Murphy also makes way for Cameron Green while Mitchell Marsh retains his place in the XI.

Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will lead the pace pack with Marsh and Green doing the support job. Part-time spinners are available in the squad in the form of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head.

“Josh will come in for Scott Boland, and the top order will stay the same,” said Cummins ahead of the Test.

“Part of the conversation is how do two allrounders fit in, is spin going to be important this week?”

Marsh played a starring role at Headingley in the third Test and keeps his place, which meant that Murphy had to sit out with Green returning.

On The ICC Review, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had said that he would have liked Murphy to keep his place for the fourth Test.

“I’ve got no doubt that he stays in the side. And I think when they get the chance, when Pat gets the chance, he might look at getting him into the game a little bit earlier next time,” Ponting said.

While Cummins said that Australia were excited about Murphy, he pointed out that the 22-year-old isn’t exactly a like-for-like to Nathan Lyon.

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“Nathan Lyon is the greatest off-spinner we’ve ever had so it’s not quite apples for apples,” Cummins said.

“We are really excited by Todd, we think he’s fantastic. I would have loved to use him a bit more last week, (but) conditions just favoured pace bowling.

Meanwhile, England too have confirmed their XI for the fourth Test with James Anderson set to return for Ollie Robinson in the only change from the winning team that played at Headingley last week.

Australia XI for the fourth Test: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood

England XI for fourth Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson