Australian great Ricky Ponting has backed the addition of Michael Neser to Australia’s squad for the ICC World Test Championship final but would choose a different pacer in the decider against India while Australia will play against India in the ICC World Test Championship final that begins on June 7 at the Oval.
Australian great Ricky Ponting has backed the addition of Michael Neser to Australia’s squad for the ICC World Test Championship final but would choose a different pacer in the decider against India. Australia will play against India in the ICC World Test Championship final that begins on June 7 at the Oval.
Neser, an all-rounder, might be another fast-bowling option for Australia, but he must first be included in their 15-player WTC squad, which will be announced by Sunday, May 28. The 33-year-old Neser has excelled in the County Championship, picking up 19 wickets and scoring 311 runs in five matches, and has staked his claims for a spot in the WTC final squad.
Neser has only featured in two Test matches for Australia, both of which were played at the Adelaide Oval in 2021 and 2022, but he can be called up at the last minute for the WTC final squad as Josh Hazlewood (side) and Marsh (adductor) make their recoveries.
“He will be a terrific bowler in English conditions. We have already seen that in County cricket. He’s perfectly suited to those conditions. He was probably a little bit unlucky not to be named in this squad right from the start, and certainly even in the Ashes squad, right from the start, just with the conditions,”
Ponting said on the latest episode of The ICC Review.
“Neser has just come off some wickets. He got a very good hundred as well in the second innings of that last County game that they played. He’s one of those no-fuss sorts of guys that are a very skillful player, and the skill set that he has is very well suited to England,”
Ponting added.
Ponting feels Australia will otherwise turn to the line-up that has served the team recently and led them to the top of the WTC standings.
Australia earned 152 points from 19 Test matches for 66.67% of their possible points, to end the 2021–23 WTC cycle while India was next best with 127 points from 18 Tests and 58.8%.
Australia great Ponting feels late-blooming quick Scott Boland to be named in the starting XI for the ICC World Test Championship final that begins on June 7 at the Oval, should Josh Hazlewood not be fit.
“Boland’s record when he’s played over the last 12 months has been absolutely outstanding. He would really, potentially thrive in these English conditions,”
Ponting said.
Ricky Ponting’s predicted Australia XI (if Hazlewood is unfit)
Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
