Captain Steve Smith says Australia are unlikely to let their full pace quartet loose against New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener at Edgbaston
Steve Smith
Australia skipper Steve Smith
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Captain Steve Smith says Australia are unlikely to let their full pace quartet loose against New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener at Edgbaston. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Josh Hazlewood represent the most imposing seam unit in the competition and they are well fancied to wreak havoc in the tournament.
But Smith admits Australia are looking to balance the side with an all-rounder — John Hastings or Marcus Stoinis — meaning one of the strike bowlers will be receiving an unwanted knock on the door today. "I don't think we'll end up going with the four big quicks. They're all fit, bowling well and ready to go. It's hard always to fit four big, fast bowlers into one lineup, but it's great that we've certainly got those options there now.
"We've got a couple of options there as all-rounders. Stoinis did very well in New Zealand in the last series, and Hastings has done very well for us over in these conditions," Smith said.
Competition for bowling places has led to some lively training sessions for Smith and his fellow batsmen and he hopes that will put them in good stead. "It's very challenging in the nets, particularly if there's a little bit in the wicket. Everyone's a little bit quicker in the nets as well," he said.
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