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Tag: skill set

  • Goorjian names 22-man Boomers squad for Paris… including 19yo rising star and ‘upcoming Bogut’

    Goorjian names 22-man Boomers squad for Paris… including 19yo rising star and ‘upcoming Bogut’

    Basketball Australia on Thursday morning announced a 22-man Boomers squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with a mix of established veterans and fresh faces selected by Brian Goorjian.

    The squad builds on what was a transitional tournament for the Boomers at the FIBA World Cup last year, where Josh Giddey formed a new-look backcourt alongside Patty Mills.

    There are a few bolters in Johnny Furphy and Rocco Zikarsky who, while unlikely to make the final team itself, will only benefit from the experience of being part of the Boomers set-up early.

    Furphy has rocketed up NBA draft boards and is currently No. 28 on ESPN’s big board after a strong college season with the Kansas City Jayhawks, which included one stretch where the 19-year-old scored double figures in 11 of 12 games.

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    Johnny Furphy has risen up draft boards. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Zikarsky, meanwhile, stands at 7-foot-3 as the tallest player in the NBL after joining the Brisbane Bullets at 17 years old as the league’s youngest Next Star.

    The Australian big man will be eligible for the NBA draft in 2025 and led Australia to victory at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament earlier in the week, crowned MVP after averaging 18.7 points, 11 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting at 73.1 per cent from the field.

    Speaking to ESPN, Goorjian floated the possibility that either Furphy or Zikarsky, while players of the future, could also gain selection for the Paris team.

    “I just think it’s really important that he’s brought into the Boomers program and culture,” Goorjian said of Furphy.

    “The worst case is he gets to see the Boomers and be around this group, but, also, we need a shooter. He does that.”

    As for Zikarsky, Goorjian compared him to an “upcoming [Andrew] Bogut”.

    “He’s probably a year earlier than Bogut was when he went to Athens… There’s nothing like him,” the Boomers coach said.

    “He’s 7’4, and he’s co-ordinated. I talk about some of our gaps after the World Cup, with the shooting and adding McVeigh [to the squad]… rim protection [too], a presence around the rim, we didn’t have it. Rocco is that.

    Australia’s Rocco Zikarsky (R) shoots against Indonesia’s Lester Prosper during a FIBA Basketball Asia Cup qualifier match. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP)Source: AFP

    “Touching those guys is one thing, but both of them, in their position, have a skill.

    “When you pick your nine, with this group; those last three, you never know what it is. Is it a rim protector? Is it defence? Is it a chemistry guy? Is it, we have everything covered so let’s give a young guy a piece of this so they’re ready for the next one?”

    There are plenty of familiar names in the 22-man squad, with 10 members of the Tokyo bronze medal team included while all players from last year’s FIBA World Cup selection camp outside of Thon Maker are back in the mix.

    Elsewhere, JackJumpers duo Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay have been rewarded for their fine form in Tasmania’s triumphant NBL season with selection while Adelaide’s Dejan Vasiljevic is the other new face.

    As expected, Ben Simmons is not available for selection after his 2023-24 NBA season with Brooklyn was cut short by a nerve impingement in his back.

    Ben Simmons is not available for selection. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Goorjian said the Boomers coaching staff were able to draw on the team’s disappointment from an early exit at last year’s FIBA World Cup to better identify specific areas Australia needs to improve ahead of Paris.

    “The FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023 marked a new beginning for the Boomers,” Goorjian said in a statement on Thursday morning.

    “We were able to introduce some new faces and identify areas that we needed to advance and improve.

    “We’ve been actively monitoring the Aussie players across international leagues in USA, Europe and Asia as well as domestically in the NBL and we’re confident in the potential chemistry of this list.

    “The complexity of international tournaments like the Olympics is that you have a relatively short window to train and prepare – so you have to identify and implement a style that works fast and amplifies the collective skill set.

    “There’s always a correlation made of our offensive play with European styles, which is interesting considering there isn’t a whole lot of exposure to the Euro system with our players.

    “What we have experienced is the emergence of Australians at the top level overseas and the evolution of the NBL as a world class league with high powered scoring offences, so we want to drive a game that is familiar but unique to our group.”

    ‘Drunk uncle’ Ingles taunts & rips Bulls | 01:12

    Goorjian also pointed to the added versatility in this year’s Olympics squad, which is better equipped to handle any further injuries in the frontcourt after losing Jock Landale in the lead-up to last year’s World Cup.

    It is not just the squad’s versatility either, with Duop Reath also benefiting from a significant role with the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA.

    “When Jock Landale went down we had to adjust to small ball. It was challenging but ultimately rewarding as we got to trial different packages and get prime minutes into Duop Reath which fast-tracked his development,” said Goorjian.

    “Looking to the Olympics, we will have Jock Landale available for selection and the added versatility of Kay, Xavier Cooks as well as guys like Will Magnay and Rocco Zikarsky.

    “We’ve also introduced more depth across shooters in the squad with veteran Chris Goulding joined by Dyson Daniels, Jack McVeigh and DJ Vasilijevic.”

    Australia faces a tough road to another medal at the Olympics, drawn into Group A alongside Canada and two other teams which will be determined through qualifying tournaments.

    At this stage, Spain and one of Slovenia, Greece and Croatia loom as the most likely countries to be joining Australia in its group.

    ‘Dante Ex-HIM’: Clutch Aussie saves Mavs | 01:11

    “We’re really excited at this opportunity. The consensus is that the tournament will be at an unseen level with the talent and international NBA star-power across the teams,” added Goorjian.

    “I will emphasise and instil with the group that we’re not aiming to match or replicate the style of game heading our way from other nations. Our goal is to beat them.

    “We’re going to play Aussie ball. And we’re going to go at them with all we’ve got.”

    Goorjian told ESPN that ‘Aussie ball’ will centre around “playing at tempo, at pace, downhill”, which plays well into the strengths of the likes of Josh Giddey, Dante Exum and Josh Green both as scorers and playmakers.

    The initial squad will be trimmed down further before training camp in Melbourne in July, with Goorjian to then narrow it down again to a final 12.

    Boomers Paris 2024 Olympic Squad

    Chris Goulding, Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Dante Exum, Johnny Furphy, Patty Mills, DJ Vasilijevic, Sam Froling, Rocco Zikarsky, Duop Reath, Josh Giddey, Will Magnay, Dyson Daniels, Josh Green, Will McDowell-White, Jack McVeigh, Keanu Pinder, Xavier Cooks, Jack White, Matisse Thybulle, Jock Landale, Matthew Dellavedova

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  • ‘What is a John Iredale?’: Inside the ‘wild ride’ of newest Socceroo … and his special Arnie connection

    ‘What is a John Iredale?’: Inside the ‘wild ride’ of newest Socceroo … and his special Arnie connection

    Before Thursday night’s win over Lebanon, the last time John Iredale – Australia’s newest Socceroo – played a competitive match on home soil was back in high school.

    In 2017, the then-Sydney FC junior had to ask permission from a teacher to duck out of class and take a phone call from Sky Blues head coach Graham Arnold.

    He told Fox Sports Australia: “I was training with Arnie and the first team a couple times before that. I remember I was at school and Arnie messaged me saying: ‘can you call me quick?’

    “I was in class but lucky I was really close with the teacher – I said: ‘can I pop out for a second?’”

    Lucky Iredale did return the phone call, because just a few hours later he was pulling on the Sky Blues jersey and making his first-ever senior appearance in a cup match against the Darwin Rovers.

    Iredale continues: “Arnie said: ‘can you get on a plane today to come to Darwin?’

    “So then I flew up on game day, after school, to Darwin. And then he put me on as well! We got a good victory in that game.

    “So that was my first experience playing under Arnie, and it’s just been a wild ride since then.”

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    Seven years later – but still just 24 years old – Iredale came off the bench for his Socceroos debut against Lebanon, impressing in his half hour showing.

    For the Sydney-born striker, it was a dream come true.

    “It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a young boy,” he says. “To make the debut in Sydney in front of my family and friends made the moment more memorable and more special.”

    And in a full-circle moment, it came under Graham Arnold – the same coach who handed Iredale his club debut for Sydney all those years ago.

    When Arnold began his second stint in charge of the Socceroos after the 2018 World Cup, Iredale was a surprise inclusion in Arnold’s very first squad for a training camp in Turkey.

    “That was a really big jump at that stage,” Iredale says. “It was something I’d always dreamt of.”

    Iredale had quit Sydney FC for Dutch top-flight side Heerenveen a few months prior – having made just the single competitive appearance for the Sky Blues in that Darwin cup match – and had not even turned out for the senior side in a competitive fixture when he was called up to the national team.

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    Iredale played for Sydney in a friendly match against Arsenal FC – one of just two matches before sealing a move to Europe.Source: AAP

    But Arnold was confident of the youngster’s ability, and Iredale had enjoyed a strong start to life in Heerenveen, with 19 goals in just 29 matches for the reserves and under 19s sides before bagging a couple of goals in pre-season matches with the senior team.

    “I was a bit more immature back then,” Iredale says, adding he probably didn’t make the most of the opportunity.

    The then 19-year old Socceroos bolter wouldn’t get the chance to debut in that camp, and injuries soon struck a major blow to his promising young career.

    Almost immediately after the Socceroos camp, a stress fracture in his right foot ruled Iredale out for six months. He returned for a handful of games before fracturing the same bone again.

    “Everything came at one time,” he says. “It put me out for a while. But that’s behind me now … I’ve been able to learn and grow from that experience.”

    What did he learn?

    “I hadn’t experienced a big injury like that before, but I took it as a sign that I wasn’t ready. Maybe my body wasn’t ready to make the next step right now and I needed to learn more about myself and hit the gym and develop more as a person and a player.”

    Years later, the development is obvious: these days, Iredale is a fleet-footed yet strong striker who loves to run at goal and take on defenders – and with a thunderous shot at his disposal.

    “I’ve grown dramatically,” he adds. “I’ve learned a lot about my body and what it takes to be a professional footballer. I’ve got a lot of minutes under my belt since that time. I’ve got the same skill set – just the next level.

    “I’m still only 24 and there’s still a lot of years ahead of me.”

    But as Iredale said, it would take a ‘wild ride’ to get back into the frame for Socceroos selection.

    From Heerenveen, he would move to Germany, battling away at multiple clubs in the lower tiers before finding a home at Wehen Wiesbaden three years ago.

    Iredale says: “I can’t look back and regret anything … I’m very happy with the path I’ve taken. Sometimes things could have gone better but that’s football and that’s part of the journey to find yourself and develop.

    “Each step has helped me grow and now I’m finally feeling like I’ve earned my reputation now, especially in Germany.”

    Last year Iredale earned promotion with Wiesbaden to the highly-regarded second tier of German football, where the relative minnows now sit 13th in the division.

    That means playing against fellow Socceroos Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe, who represent ladder-leading St Pauli.

    When the two teams met earlier this season, Iredale scored a deft chip as his underdog team snatched a draw.

    “I did (score),” he smiles.

    “Obviously (Irvine) was upset that I scored but he gave Arnie some nice words about me which was really nice to hear about. Of course they weren’t too happy with the draw!”

    Not that he’s been brave enough to bring up that goal to Irvine and Metcalfe in camp this time around – though the other Socceroos have been happy to do so on his behalf.

    “I stayed away from it but the other boys definitely brought it up,” he laughs.

    After years of grinding away in the lower leagues, Iredale now gets to play in front of crowds sometimes as big as 60,000+ at fallen giants Schalke. No wonder he hardly looked overawed by the occasion of his Socceroos debut last Thursday.

    “Earlier this season we played in Dusseldorf in front of probably 40 or 50 thousand fans. I took a penalty in front of their main spectator side,” he says.

    “In that moment, everything becomes quiet. You just do what you love and you just play football.”

    After that first Socceroos camp back in 2018, Iredale wouldn’t be spotted in the national team set-up again until this year, when he was an unused squad member at January’s Asian Cup in Qatar.

    Yet it’s probably fair to say most Australians wouldn’t know much about Iredale when he finally debuted on Thursday.

    After the game, he told reporters: “I saw a couple comments like: ‘What is a John Iredale?’”

    Well, one person knew exactly what a John Iredale is – Graham Arnold.

    Iredale says: “He’s definitely been watching my journey and he was waiting for me to be ready … but being involved (in the Socceroos) back then (in 2018) and having that belief from Arnie from the get-go has helped me a lot.”

    He adds: “I’m just happy that I can now finally show Australians more about who I am.”

    He’s ticked off one major dream by making his debut – and he doubled down on a promise to commemorate becoming Socceroo number 640 with a tattoo – but Iredale is already dreaming of what comes next.

    “A goal (Tuesday) would be nice,” he laughs, with the Socceroos facing Lebanon again in Canberra.

    “This is just the beginning for me. I’m just going to be pushing and trying to become a starter and to play a big role leading up to the next World Cup.

    “That’s the goal. I’ve just got to keep fit and keep scoring.”

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  • Worrying superstar big three truth; sneaky win in NBA mega deal: Trade winners and losers

    Worrying superstar big three truth; sneaky win in NBA mega deal: Trade winners and losers

    We’ve just about hit the quarter mark of the NBA season.

    And the fortunes of several blockbuster trades — one in season — are proving to have a key impact on the title race and campaign at large, while significantly altering teams’ fortunes.

    Below are foxsports.com.au’s winners and loser from the big moves that transpired.

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    PG hits scintillating GAME-WINNING three | 00:43

    CELTS RECONFIGURE IN THREE-WAY PORZINGIS SWAP

    Celtics receive

    Kristaps Porzingis (via Wizards), No. 25 pick in 2023 Draft (via Grizzlies), 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected, via Warriors)

    Grizzlies received

    Marcus Smart (via Celtics)

    Wizards received

    Tyus Jones (via Grizzlies), Danilo Gallinari (via Celtics), Mike Muscula (via Celtics), No. 35 pick in 2023 Draft (via Celtics)

    Early winner

    The addition of Porzingis to the Celtics has made the now title favourites even stronger and unlock a new level of Joe Mazulla’s side in the Jayson Tatum-Jalen Brown era. Having Porzingis at centre as a genuine floor spacer provides line-up flexibility and lanes the C’s haven’t had before, while the maligned Latvian big man has averaged a cool 18.9 points on 54 per cent shooting from the field, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Health is clearly the main concern with Porzingis — and he’s currently sidelined with a calf injury — but having him available at the business end of the season is clearly more important.

    Early loser

    Both Memphis and Washington have come away worse for wear. While the 5-14 Grizzlies can at least put their issues down to the absence of stars — including to Smart — they’re actually trying to contend, whereas the 3-15 Wizards are effectively in tank mode, even if J0nes has underwhelmed at his new side, and they could yet flip the guard for a long-term asset. So looking at it from a wider lens — and not necessarily a knock on Smart — Memphis has been the loser. And in Jones the Griz at least had a known quantity who knew how to run their system whenever Ja Morant was out. Memphis was of course simply trying to take itself to the next level to contend in the Western Conference, and while there’s ample time to turn things around, it’s been a grim first quarter of the season for the franchise.

    Tatum tossed, Celtics hold on over 76ers | 01:19

    MEGA LILLARD SWAP

    Bucks received

    Damian Lillard (via Blazers)

    Trail Blazers received

    Deandre Ayton (via Suns), Toumani Camara (via Suns) Jrue Holiday (via Bucks), 2029 1st-round pick (via Bucks), Two first-round pick swaps with Bucks (2028, 2030)

    Suns received

    Grayson Allen (via Bucks) Keon Johnson (via Blazers) Nassir Little (via Blazers) Jusuf Nurkic (via Blazers)

    Early winner

    A fair bit to unpack here. But any side that gets a multi-time All-NBA, All-Star guard has to be the winner, so it’s the Bucks (for now at least). Sure, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing integrating Lillard into the line-up amid a big drop off from the team on the defensive end of the court compared to having Holiday out front. But for all those concerns, Milwaukee sits third in the East at 14-6 and have claim of the league’s second-best net rating over the last 10 games. The Bucks are in the business of winning titles right now, so going all in on Lillard makes complete sense. The Suns are also a sneaky winner, with Nurkic in perhaps the ideal landing spot for his skill set as a throw in that’s proved to be an important piece — he just needs to stay healthy. Allen has also provided invaluable depth, particularly with Bradley Beal sidelined.

    Early loser

    The Blazers are the closest thing to a loser — not in terms of what they got in the Lillard deal, but more just from a holistic standpoint. When you trade a franchise superstar, you’re generally committing to a lengthy rebuild and accepting your current core doesn’t have what it takes to win a title, plus there’s no guarantees when going back to the draft. In terms of this deal specifically, Portland only got one first-round pick in addition to two-pick swaps, whereas the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert yielded much bigger hauls in terms of draft capital. Then there’s the DeAndre Ayton side of it, with the gun big man and former No. 1 pick still failing to live up to his enormous potential despite being in a opportunistic situation. In saying all this, the Blazers already have exciting young players in Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, so they’re well placed overall.

    Durant jumps to 10th all-time in loss | 01:41

    CELTICS GO ALL IN ON HOLIDAY

    Celtics received

    Jrue Holiday

    Blazers received

    Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, 2024 1st-round pick (via Warriors), 2029 unprotected 1st-round pick (via Celtics)

    Early winner

    Ctrl+C+V for the above Porzingis point. Unlike Porzingis though, Holiday has taken more of a back seat in Boston and personally sacrificed the most of its four stars — at least offensively. No matter, the stud defensive guard remains a key piece that has it looking like the clear Larry O’Brien trophy frontrunner right now and will clearly provide a huge boost come the real stuff. He’s averaged 12.2 points, 5.1 assists and 0.7 steals per game, which would statistically be his worst season since his sophomore campaign. However the 33-year old provides elite defensively flexibility and a sturdy veteran presence, plus championship pedigree from Milwaukee.

    Early loser

    Can we say no one? It probably is Portland, but it’s not by a lot and more comes down to whether or not it could’ve got more for Holiday after acquiring him from Milwaukee in the Damian Lillard trade. There’s otherwise genuine concerns around Williams’ future after he suffered yet another knee injury likely to sideline the big man for the rest of this season. Missing him on the court aside — for Portland isn’t exactly trying to win games — the Blazers could’ve traded him to a contender for an asset ahead of the deadline, but that’s no longer an option really. Brogdon has been solid, but again, did they really want someone to help them now who will stand in the way of Scoot Henderson? And the picks of course compliment the Blazers’ direction.

    Pelicans pounce on understrength 76ers | 01:32

    NEW BIG THREE AS BEAL JOINS SUNS

    Suns received

    Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd

    Wizards received

    Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, Bilal Coulibaly (No. 7 pick, via Pacers), 2024 first-round pick swap, 2024 second-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 first-round pick swap, 2026 second-round pick20, 27 second-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2028 second-round pick, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2030 second-round pick

    Pacers received

    Jarace Walker (No. 8 pick, via Wizards), Future second-round pick (via Wizards), Future second-round pick (via Suns)

    Early winner

    Is Beal the piece that’s going to take Phoenix past any other team — or at least be the key factor to do so? That’s the big question here, and frankly, we still just don’t know as the star guard’s start to his Suns tenure has been ruined by injury. Considering the mega return Washington got for a player who’s never quite gotten back to his All-Star heights of several years ago and you’d have to give the Wizards the points right now. Plus Washington flipped Chris Paul for Jordan Poole (though more on the later) as another long-term piece to do add to its collection — even if he’s struggled to really ascend his game at his new team.

    Early loser

    To this point, it’s Phoenix, though it could change quickly. As mentioned, we just haven’t seen nearly enough of Beal yet in a Phoenix guernsey — only three times, to be specific. In fact, the team’s big three of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have combined for a total zero regular season appearances together as Booker has also battled injury in a worrying factor. The Suns have still cruised to a nice 12-8 start to the season, and they could yet reach an even higher level when Beal returns. But the big swing move for the 30-year old hasn’t yet lived up to what Phoenix gave up. And what if Beal’s injury lingers throughout the season?

    Kings topple Warriors for Group C throne | 00:57

    WARRIORS LAND CP3

    Warriors received

    Chris Paul

    Wizards received

    Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, 2027 second-round pick, 2030 first-round pick (top 20 protected), Cash considerations

    Early winner

    Not that the Poole-Wizards era is necessarily going well, but the Washington is at least accruing long-term assets and what it’s doing makes sense, so it’s a soft winner. And there’s the potential for him to turn things around from an individual standpoint — or the Wizards move him elsewhere. As mentioned earlier, the franchise has gone into all-out tank mode and its No. 1 ambition might just be finishing with the worst record in the league, of which it’s not far off.


    Early loser

    The CP3 era in Golden State is off to a rough start. Nor does it appear to be the lever the team should’ve pulled given it’s clear need for a second offensive star alongside Steph Curry as opposed to solidifying its bench, plus you’d argue it was better off with Poole to Paul, who’s already suffered his first injury setback of the season and is hard to trust to stay healthy. There’s still the potential for the Warriors to trade Paul or one or more of their young players to change up the rotation. Because right now, instead of Golden State going to another level, it seems to have gone backwards in concerning signs for Steve Kerr and company.

    ‘Wait a minute!’ Smith blasts ‘idiots’ | 02:01

    CLIPPERS PULL TRIGGER ON HARDEN

    Sixers received

    Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, 2029 pick swap, (all via Clippers), 2026 protected first-round pick (via Thunder)

    Clippers received

    James Harden, P.J. Tucker, Filip Petrusev

    Thunder received

    2027-first-round pick swap (via Clippers)

    Early winner

    Not only did Philadelphia rid itself of the Harden drama, it gave Maxey a clear runway to be a superstar and got better in the process. Usually it’s the team that acquires the superstar in a trade that wins — and while that could yet be the case — it’s been addition by subtraction for the 12-7 Sixers to consolidate their roster with other useful pieces as well as assets they could use to acquire another star by the deadline. Some now believe they can not only compete with the likes of Boston and Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference, but could be the premier team. It’s also crucial the team keeps winning games to convince Joel Embiid to stick around long term.

    Early loser

    Yes, the Clippers are starting to work things out with Harden after a gloomy 0-4 start to his tenure with the team. But if it hadn’t already, LA has now gone completely all-in with this roster and has basically no draft picks remaining for the decade as a result. Even if Harden has made the Clippers a better team overall, the deal simply has to take them over the top of the likes of Denver, Phoenix and potentially Minnesota and Oklahoma City to be considered a success — or at least even with such West powerhouses. From what we’ve seen so far, that’s not the case. While it could be argued the team was already chips in during the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era, the franchise could’ve dealt both and pushed the reset button, but it’s gone all out the other way ahead of the opening of its new arena in 2024. It’s still a long season ahead though, and the Clippers are nearly back at .500, with the health of the aforementioned stars paramount to everything.

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  • Harris: Opening in England a specialist position

    Harris: Opening in England a specialist position

    As questions remain on David Warner’s opening spot, possible replacement Marcus Harris has warned against elevating a makeshift opener in English conditions.

    Marcus Harris has cast doubt on whether a non-specialist opener would be appropriate to replace David Warner at the top of the order should Australia’s selectors lose faith in the veteran for the fourth Test.

    Neither captain Pat Cummins nor coach Andrew McDonald have been willing to guarantee Warner’s place in the Aussie XI for the clash at Old Trafford after the opener made scores of four and one in the third Test loss at Headingley, being dismissed by England seamer Stuart Broad for the 16th and 17th time respectively in Test cricket.

    While he made 66 in the first innings at Lord’s earlier in the series, Warner – who has flagged his desired Test retirement date for next January – is averaging just 28.17 in the format over the past three years.

    Fellow left-hander Harris entered this tour as the man most likely to replace Warner, however all-rounder Mitch Marsh’s century at Leeds has complicated the picture given the man he relieved, Cameron Green, is set to be available for the Manchester clash, which begins on Wednesday.

    Both Green and Marsh have opened in white-ball cricket for Australia however Green said on Friday that doing so in the Test arena would be “a stretch.”

    If Australia wants to squeeze both Green and Marsh into the XI, other options include moving Travis Head or Marnus Labuschagne to the top of the order to partner Usman Khawaja.

    However Harris – who averaged less than 10 in three Tests during the 2019 Ashes – said that opening in the UK required a particular skill set.

    “I think it depends on the conditions and where you are. Like you saw in the subcontinent, it is probably the best time so to have someone destructive like Heady, he can open the batting there,” Harris said.

    “But I think probably in England and in Australia, the way the wickets have been the last couple of years and New Zealand, those sort of wickets, it‘s more of a specialist position. And you want your destructive players like Greeny or Mitch or Travis to be coming in against a bit more of an older ball.”

    Harris said England was probably the toughest place for a non-opener to face the new ball.

    “I think so. Maybe those first two wickets were all right. Like definitely Edgbaston would have been okay but I think like we saw at Lord‘s whenever there was some overheads and at Headingley it was hard work. My experiences from county cricket (are) if you cop the wrong time of the day to open the batting, especially if you’re a destructive batsman it’s probably not ideal.”

    Harris added that he had tried to steer clear of debate about Warner’s position, instead focusing on ensuring he was ready if needed.

    “Yeah, I just try and be ready to go all the time. You never you never know what‘s going to happen these days. Like I said, with Greeny last game going out and Mitch having to come in, Mitch probably didn’t expect to play the third Test of the series so I’m just ready to go. Like I said before when we came over, I said Davey’s earned the right to pull the pin whenever he wants to pull the pin and he’s done well this series. England’s not an easy place to open the batting and you know, him and Uz have got us off to some good starts, so if I have to wait till then and then so be it but if something comes up earlier, I’m ready to go,” Harris said.

    “I think it‘s always a good discussion point. Davey’s obviously a bit of a lightning rod for opinion. But I think they’ve done really well – as an opening partnership when you can get the team off to a good start. Even if you’re not getting the big runs that you want to get, if you can still contribute to the team in some way, shape or form, I think you’re doing a job. But that’s coming from an opening batter so I’m probably biased towards that.”

    Harris said he had been given the option to play county cricket between the third and fourth Tests but was keen for a few days away from the game having been in the UK for well over three months.

    “I thought it would be good to have a couple of days off and get away from cricket altogether. I have been here since April 1 so it has been a pretty long tour. The training we can do now with how big the squad is as a collective, during the games is as good, if not better, than playing a game of cricket. I don‘t feel like I haven’t had a lot of cricket.”

    Daniel ChernyStaff writer

    Daniel Cherny is a Melbourne sportswriter, focusing on AFL and cricket. Having started his career at Back Page Lead, Daniel spent eight years at The Age, during which time he covered Australian Test cricket tours of Bangladesh and the UAE, as well as the 2016 Rio Olympics. He has been recognised for both his AFL and cricket writing, including winning the Clinton Grybas Rising Star Award at the 2019 Australian Football Media Association Awards. He is also a compulsive Simpsons quoter.

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  • How ‘disgusting to face’ Fotia earned Victorian deal

    How ‘disgusting to face’ Fotia earned Victorian deal

    Promising underage performances, trips interstate and season-ending injuries; Matt Fotia has spoken about the experiences that led him to signing a contract with Victoria.

    Victoria had to look no further than its own backyard for its next tearaway.

    Ringwood’s Matt Fotia has capped off an imperious Premier Cricket summer, one that grossed 49 wickets at an average of just 14, by signing on with Victoria.

    The right-arm speedster took a wicket in each and multiple in 14 of his 17 Premier Cricket matches in 2022-23, with season-best figures of 7-54 in a hostile spell of bowling against Prahran.

    While his stack of scalps was by and large his best season to date, Fotia’s push to the next level has been in motion for some time.

    The now 28-year-old holds the record for most wickets for Australia at underage level with 37, leading a list of bowlers that includes Test quicks Josh Hazlewood (21) and Jhye Richardson (17).

    And although he showed promising signs during that 2013-14 period, Fotia felt he wasn’t ready to play state cricket.

    “Sometimes wickets can be a misnomer, there were a lot of half-trackers to the deep boundary (in that 37),” Fotia said.

    “I wouldn’t say something went wrong because I worked, I have done uni – I look at guys that got deals at that time, guys I would’ve been competing with, and they don’t play cricket anymore.

    “Maybe I was a good bowler for that skill set but in terms of the next level at the time, there were other guys more suited.

    “I can see why I didn’t get picked, and from then, you think it’s going to be linear, ‘oh I will just take a few wickets and I will get a deal’.

    “I went to England, came back for the pre-season a bit out of shape and figured out pretty quickly that that’s not how it works.”

    Despite returning to be a regular fixture in the Ringwood First XI, it took a chaotic pair of seasons to spark a resurgence in Fotia.

    Coinciding with the two Covid affected seasons, he had a summer in Tasmania at Glenorchy before enduring a season-ending injury the following year.

    With the pectoral injury restricting Fotia’s bowling, it resulted in him falling to the Third XI to steer Ringwood’s future prospects and develop his batting.

    “Coming out of lockdown I was doing a lot of running and thought I better get some strength work into me,” he said.

    “I had a struggle when doing a final set of push-ups and I thought that was normal, then I bowled that night and felt a bit sore, I just thought it was DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

    “I was able to bowl normal pace so I thought it was just the muscle sorting itself out but I woke up and my arm was blue.

    “Playing threes was really enjoyable, playing as a batter, captaining and working with the younger blokes.

    “I learned how to bat a bit, the first couple of games I was batting like a number 11 because I didn’t know how to bat any higher than 10.

    “So, even though I didn’t make any runs, I had to learn how to bat with a bit more confidence.”

    With a season-best wicket tally of 32 prior to the season just gone, Fotia understands why people want to know what has caused the 17-dismissal improvement.

    But he says it’s not one magical adjustment, instead a number of minor tweaks.

    “It’s probably a bit of maturity in my body,” he said.

    “This year I did a lot of work on my upper body to strengthen my pec, so it might be a bit of that.

    “I am 28, turning 29, so my body is fitter, stronger and the wicket at Ringwood helps a little bit.

    “Even though I am bowling fuller, I don’t have to bowl really full and I always try not to go for runs.

    “I want to bowl a maiden every over and if I get hit for runs, that’s all I want to go for, I rarely try and get someone out, obviously in a close game I am trying to get a wicket but more often than not I am trying to bowl a dot.

    “People ask me that, it doesn’t feel like I haven’t done much differently but if you ask coaches, they can say they can see something different.

    “It’s hard when you’re bowling because everything feels so similar.”

    While opposition batters had difficulty escaping Fotia’s spells unscathed, even Ringwood – and now Victorian – teammate Tom Rogers says he finds him “disgusting to face”.

    “I hadn’t seen Fot bowl a lot in the last few years because he had the Tassie trip and the pec injury,” he said.

    “I remember watching him bowl in a Queensland game and he was bowling to Peter Forrest – who was still an unbelievable player at the time.

    “Fot roughed him up with a few short balls, he (Forrest) played and missed five or six times and Fot ended up nicking him off.

    “It was one of the best spells I have ever seen.

    “He always seemed to have one or two balls where he would miss; he would float one too full or bowl a half-tracker and the good players would get him.

    “Whereas I faced him in a centre wicket before the semi-final and I reckon I hit one ball for the night, he kept pitching it on leg stump and beating my outside edge.

    “I turned to Gibbo (Ringwood wicketkeeper Ben Gibson) and said ‘I can’t hit the ball’, he just didn’t miss, that was when I realised this year; his pace is great, he seams the ball and is relentless.

    “He doesn’t miss and it’s disgusting, as a left-hander, it’s disgusting to face.”

    As for what he wants to accomplish in Victorian threads, Fotia isn’t buying into expectations as that benchmark of success is something his earlier, more immature self would have done.

    “I’m trying not to put an expectation on what I can achieve from here, when I do that I don’t stay in the moment,” he said.

    “I just want to get in and learn as much as possible about my game and being professional and hopefully that will take me as far as I can go.”

    Originally published as How Ringwood’s Matt Fotia has become a state cricketer

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  • India’s shifty pitch doctoring influencing Aus selection

    India’s shifty pitch doctoring influencing Aus selection

    India’s deceitful pitch doctoring may be a prescription for a change to the starting XI for the Test which starts in Nagpur on Thursday.

    Australia is contemplating one of its biggest selection gambles in decades by promoting young off spinner Todd Murphy for Thursday’s first Test.

    It is understood the nightmare state of the Nagpur pitch has Australia looking to increase its spin stocks and Murphy has been placed on alert that he is very much in the mix to play in the first Test against India at Nagpur.

    Murphy, who only started bowling off-spin six years ago, has won plaudits around Australia in his brief first class career which features 29 wickets at 25 from seven matches.

    The 22-year-old toured Sri Lanka in last year’s Australia A squad and took 4-52 against Sri Lanka in Hambantota.

    Australia has been impressed by his skill set and temperament on tour and while it is highly unusual to have two frontline off-spinners in the one Test side these are highly unusual circumstances.

    India have doctored the pitch to produce an unusual deck that features dry patches outside the left-handers off stumps.

    The last time Australia selected two off-spinners in a Test side was 35 years ago when Tim May and Peter Taylor shared duties in the 1988 tour of Pakistan.

    Murphy is being mentored by veteran Lyon and Australia feels he has the game to become Australia’s next long term off-spinner.

    If Murphy gets in the team he could play instead of Ashton Agar or Scott Boland or Australia could play Alex Carey at No 6 and play an extra bowler.

    WHY AUSTRALIA MAY WANT TO AVOID PITCH BATTLE

    The International Cricket Council should launch an immediate investigation into India’s disgraceful pitch doctoring – but Pat Cummins must be careful of his next step.

    In the colourful and occasionally sordid world of Test wicket preparation it’s hard to recall a more obvious example of a doctored deck than this son of pitch in Nagpur.

    Curators from all nations have been able to get away with producing pitches that suit the home side under the guise of “well, it’s the same for both sides.’’

    But that’s the problem with this deck. It’s not.

    Australia were likely to field six left-handers in their top eight where all of India’s key batsmen are right handers.

    Matt Renshaw was believed to be in front of Peter Handscomb in the battle for the No 6 spot but Handscomb’s chances must now soar because he is right-hander who would be playing the non-corrupted’’ part of the pitch.

    If Renshaw was omitted he would be the first batsmen in cricket history to lose his Test place because of a corrupt piece of curating.

    The pitch scandal is the first major public relations challenge to captain Cummins on tour.

    The Australians could be excused for being furious and are within their rights to scream the house down in protest.

    But India is a tricky tour. Sometimes you are best to let the outside world do their shouting for you.

    As experienced journalist Bharat Sundaresan said recently the skill to beating India in India is going quietly and not riling the home side or their fans.

    It is easier said than done. Australia has every right to blow up publicly over this deck but sometimes in India it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong – the war inside your own head is the one you must win.

    Originally published as Australia v India Test: Pitch tampering plays in mind of Aussie selectors

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