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Ashes injury scare for Australia with Marsh on standby for sore Green
By Malcolm Conn and Daniel Brettig
Leeds: Should Mitchell Marsh mark out his run-up on day one of the third Ashes Test it will not be a repeat of his amusing wind-up on the first morning at Edgbaston two weeks ago.
Marsh will play his first Test in four years if Cameron Green does not recover from soreness in time for the beginning of the match at Headingley on Thursday.
Mitchell Marsh (left) will take the place of Cameron Green if the all-rounder isn’t passed fit to play at Headingley.Credit: Getty
The series-ending calf injury to Nathan Lyon during the second Test at Lord’s forced Green to carry a heavier workload than usual. The tall, young all-rounder, who has a history of back problems, bowled 22 overs at Lord’s, almost twice as many as his Test average of 13 overs across 23 matches.
While Green, 24, has bowled more than 22 overs in a Test three times, there was extra strain during the Lord’s Test because of the sustained bouncer barrage the Australians launched at England on the flat pitch.
Your call: What should Australian captain Pat Cummins do if he wins the toss?
‘He will not like the Headingley spotlight’: Carey to bear brunt of England fury
By Tim Wigmore
At Headingley, Alex Carey will find himself in the eye of the storm. After stumping Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s, Carey will be braced for everything that the Western Terrace can offer in the next five days.
Justin Langer, the head coach who gave Carey his Test debut in 2021, does not believe that he will relish the extra attention at Headingley. “On the outside he will put on a mask and act like the booing and sledging doesn’t upset him,” Langer says, “but he’s such a good person I know it will deep down.”
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey is in the eye of the storm over the Jonny Bairstow stumping.Credit: Reuters
Carey can count on Australia’s full support: he is one of the side’s most popular cricketers. He has seamlessly settled into the traditional Australian role of wicketkeeper: as a consummate team man, tenacious and – no matter that he does not have the title of vice captain – an essential confidant for the captain.
“He’s outstanding – character, team-mate, very coachable,” says Jason Gillespie, Carey’s domestic coach with South Australia. “His integrity is top drawer.”
Telegraph, London
Good evening
G’day everyone and welcome to our live blog for day one of the third Ashes Test at Headlingley.
I’m Roy Ward and I’ll be tapping the keys tonight as Australia and England begin the middle Test of their five-match series.
Australia lead the series 2-0 so England must win to keep their chances of winning the series alive.
Please feel free to leave a comment on the blog, the final teams will be named at the toss and play is set to begin at 8pm AEST so please sit back and enjoy the hours to come.
