Victorian gun Will Pucovski has revealed how Lance Morris turned Australian batsmen’s fear of his sheer pace into a scary reality as the ‘Wild Thing’ eyes a Test cap.
Pucovski, who has faced Morris in the Sheffield Shield competition, said he knew the 24-year-old Western Australian had all the attributes to be a successful Test pace bowler almost instantly.
“When you first faced (Morris) you thought, ‘wow, he’s got all the raw attributes’,” Pucovski said to Channel 7.
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“He’s got that pace which you can’t really teach. You don’t get the nickname ‘The Wild Thing’ for no reason.”
“Initially when he was coming onto the scene, he probably lacked a bit of that consistency.
“While you knew he definitely had a wicket ball in him and had the ability to really make you jump and make you worried, you knew you were probably getting one or two loose balls an over.”
Pucovski, who himself has played a single Test with a high score of 62, reflected on how it only took one season for Morris to become a lethal pace bowling machine.
Morris has only 18 First Class games to his name, but has impressed, taking 59 wickets at an average of 25.08 with two five-wicket hauls.
The young quick is highly-rated within the Australian cricket camp and was in contention to earn his first Test cap at the SCG in the New Years Test.
“I remember from one season to the next where you go, ‘I don’t mind facing him, just use the pace a little bit. I’ll be able to tick it over and he might get me out, but I think I’ll be able to score pretty freely against him’,” Pucovski said.
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“And then I played him again and was like, ‘wow this guy doesn’t miss anymore’.
“You go, okay this is all really starting to come together and probably, all the fears that all batsmen around Australian cricket were having ended up turning into reality because you put the whole package together.”
Morris faces stiff competition for a place in a stacked Australian bowling cartel which includes Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
Cricketing legend Brett Lee backed him to earn a baggy green and were calling for selectors to unleash him in the Sydney Test.
“I’m actually going to bring in Josh Hazlewood for Mitchell Starc and I’m going to unleash The Wild Thing 2.0,” Brett Lee said when asked who he’d pick to play at the SCG.
“He’s the quickest in the West, but he could be the quickest in Australia period.
“I love bowlers who are aggressive. I love bowlers who aren’t afraid to bowl some short stuff and also some brilliant yorkers, so bring him in.”
