Ashes 2017: Hope Jackson Bird takes five wickets to show Australia’s bowling depth, says Mitchell Starc

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of Melbourne Test due to injury.

The ongoing Ashes Test series between England and Australia have brought out the problems that lie underneath England’s batting. On fast and bouncy pitches of Australia, the England batsmen struggled against Aussie seam attack and failed to go on to make big scores. None of the batsmen apart from Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow managed to score a century in the series for England. But in spite of the failings, fast bowler James Anderson claimed that Australia does not have a depth in their bowling attack.

“They’ve had three bowlers who all can bowl 90 miles an hour and they’ve stayed fit for three games, but you look beyond that and they’ve got problems,” Anderson said. “(James) Pattinson’s injured. (Nathan) Coulter-Nile is injured. They haven’t got much other than these three that are bowling at the minute,” he added.

Anderson’s words left Australian seamer Mitchell Starc unimpressed, who was ruled out from the upcoming Melbourne Test due to an injury. Speaking to reporters, the 27-year old said that England should focus on their own problems. “They haven’t taken 20 wickets yet in the series and we have, yet they’re having a crack at our depth. I think they’ve got bigger things to worry about than the depth of Australia’s fast bowlers,” he said.

Starc, who will be replaced by right-armer Jackson Bird, said he hopes his replacement could trouble England batting unit. “Hopefully Jacko (Starc’s replacement Jackson Bird) takes five and shows that the depth in Australian cricket, especially the bowlers, is pretty strong. Even though there’s a few guys missing through injury,” he said.

Starc added that he hopes Bird will get 5-wickets in the match. “He still bowls quick enough. I’m pretty sure he still bowls quicker than the Pom bowlers as well. Hopefully, he takes five-for and sticks it up these depth comments from the Poms,” he said.

Australia have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series and will look to continue their winning run in the series. On the other hand, England will look to salvage their pride by winning the remaining two tests.