Ashes 2017: Adelaide is fastest wicket around Australia at night, says Darren Lehmann

Mitchell Starc will lead Australia’s pace attack in Adelaide. (AP File Photo)

Adelaide wicket in considered to be one of the most friendly pitch for batsmen and is full of runs. But in the past couple of years, the nature of the pitch has changed dramatically and with day-night Tests being hosted here, the pink ball has wreaked havoc on the batsmen. This has prompted Australia coach Darren Lehmann to term the Adelaide Oval wicket under lights the “fastest” in the country.

Australia will face England in the second Ashes Test from December 2 in Adelaide after winning the first one in Brisbane. The pace attack of Australia will be once again geared up to take on their arch-rivals in the day-night encounter and with their coach backing them to be lethal, the confidence of the Australian team should have grown. Lehmann expects the Australian pace trio to rattle the England batting.

“It’ll seam and swing,” Lehmann was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “And it does quicken up at night. It’s probably the fastest wicket around Australia at night, so that’ll be interesting. That’s a good sign for us.”

The coach confirmed that Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will not be rested despite the grinding first Test on a slowish Brisbane wicket. Spinner Nathan Lyon, who was the best bowler for Australia in the first Test for his five wickets and exceptional spin bowling, received praise from Lehmann.

“As long as they get through main day (Thursday’s session) they’re all good,” he said. “He (Lyon) wants the ball day in, day out. A bit like Warney (Shane Warne) did when he played. He’s not as confident as Warney was, but he’s just really starting to lead and help the bowlers out.”

As far as Australia’s batting goes, they have a lot of issues to resolve especiall the number three spot where Usman Khawaja failed to perform in Brisbane and his trouble against the spinning delivery were exposed once again. But Lehmann said that they will still back Khawaja and expect him to perform in Adelaide like he did against South Africa a year ago.

“We want him to make some runs like everyone else,” he said. “He did play well (against South Africa), so hopefully he does the same (against England).”

Australia start as favourites for the game in Adelaide but England did well in the warm-up game against the Chairman’s XI by winning the match but Lehmann said they Australia are very comfortable.

“They played the Chairman’s XI game but it was a bit different to a Test-match wicket,” Lehmann said. “The lead-in is a lot more normal for us than other teams, having done it twice. We’re pretty comfortable … it’s just which team adapts the best,” he added.