So, here’s Australia’s line up, as stated earlier.
- 1.David Warner,
- 2.Usman Khawaja,
- 3.Marnus Labuschagne,
- 4.Steve Smith,
- 5.Travis Head,
- 6.Mitch Marsh,
- 7.Cameron Green,
- 8.Alex Carey (wk),
- 9.Mitch Starc,
- 10.Pat Cummins (c),
- 11.Josh Hazlewood
That is a very strong batting line up, with a long tail and five pace bowlers.
Of course, there are no spinners, the first time an Australian side has not played a frontline spinner since the third Border-Gavaskar Test against India at the WACA in 2012.
“Conditions based and probably more than anything else the game is played at quite a quick pace here.
“We feel like we have plenty of bowling, having two all rounders plus Travis Head gives us plenty of options.
“Whenever you select, there is always a risk. Losing Nathan Lyon makes it a risk.
“Losing Nathan Lyon makes it a little bit different. We’ve gone for a slightly different line-up than normal.”
So how does that stack up in Old Trafford’s recent history, the one ground in England where spin is important.
Of the two first class matches played at Old Trafford this season, spinners have accounted for more than a quarter of all the overs bowled.
In the Test against South Africa last year, that rises to almost a third.
However, in that Test Jack Leach, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer toiled, taking just four of the wickets to fall in the match between them.
The role of spinners has been, primarily, to hold up an end — Jack Leach took 1-57 as he ground-out 24 overs in Somerset’s bore-draw against Lancashire in May.
dan