Exciting paceman Lance Morris had his first training session as an Australian squad member on Tuesday, while captain Pat Cummins did some running despite a “minor” thigh strain which may keep him out of the second Test against the West Indies, beginning at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
The legendary Dennis Lillee was excited by Morris from the first time he saw the kid from country West Australia bowl as a teenager, but Morris is unlikely to make his Test debut this week even if Cummins is ruled out at Australia’s final training session on Wednesday.
While the remainder of the squad were involved in fielding drills on Adelaide Oval during Tuesday evening, Cummins did some stretching and about half an hour of run-throughs at increasing pace before some light throwing.
“I feel fine,” Cummins said as he headed into the change rooms while his teammates practiced in the nets. “I’ll try and have a bowl in the next day or so.”
Morris, 24, has been chosen as cover for Mitchell Starc because of his extra pace and ability to swing the ball, but Starc is expected to play despite the short turnaround time from the first Test in Perth, which ended on Sunday. Boxing Day Test hero Scott Boland would replace Cummins if the captain is ruled out.
While Morris is unlikely to receive his Baggy Green cap this week, his rapid elevation into an Australian squad after 18 Sheffield Shield matches means he is now squarely in the frame of Australia’s selectors, with tours of India and England coming up next year.
Lance Morris in action for Western Australia.Credit:Getty Images
Lillee was asked by a mutual friend to cast his eye over Morris and liked what he saw.
“I said to him, ‘You’ve got a good future in this game if you work hard at it’,” Lillee told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
“He’s fast, he’s got a good set of shoulders, he’s strongly built and he’s got a safe action. He only needed a couple of minor tweaks to his action, which he’s done. I’ve seen him a couple of times since and he’s really improved.”
Morris is excited by the sudden opportunity that came his way after finishing a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Brisbane on Sunday.
Dennis Lillee, who first saw Lance Morris bowl as a teenager.Credit:Getty
“I got off the field at the Gabba and got a call about 10 minutes later,” Morris told a press conference at Perth airport. “I struggled to even pack my kitbag, to be honest. I was absolutely nowhere.”
Nervous as he may be, Morris has confidence in his own ability.
“I’ve been clocked at 150 [kph] quite a few times now, so I think we can lock that in,” Morris said. “That’s when everything’s moving nicely and everything’s clicked.”
Jason Sangha, the rising NSW star who has just been appointed Sydney Thunder captain, has faced Morris in the Sheffield Shield during recent seasons.
Jason Sangha in action for the Sydney Thunder. Credit:Getty
“He bowls absolute rockets,” Sangha said. “His sheer pace makes him stand out. When you can consistently hit 150 on the radar at domestic level you’re always going to have an eye on you in terms of playing international cricket and for Lance it was just a matter of when really.
“The biggest thing I’ve seen from him in the last 12 months is not so much his pace, which has always been there, but his ability to actually do something with the ball other than just bowl fast. Swing it or be able to nip the ball around. I think that’s shown with his success this year.
“Getting to bowl on the WACA helps – a nice fast, bouncy wicket – but regardless of that, before he was sheer pace and leaked a few runs because he was a bit erratic, but I think now he’s tightened up his lines and his lengths.”
Nathan Lyon has also faced Morris in Sheffield Shield cricket and is excited by his inclusion in the national squad.
“Having Lance come into this Test set-up with the bowlers around him, I think it’s just an amazing learning curve,” Lyon said in Adelaide on Tuesday. “He’s got every chance of playing. His skill set is up there with the best.
“To have a young but genuine fast bowler come into the squad and learn off the likes of Pat [Cummins], Josh [Hazlewood] and Mitch [Starc], I think they’re obviously at the top of their game, and they’re looking to improve each and every day.
“So if we can, if I can help Lance improve his game mentally, tactically, physically whatever it may be, then Australian cricket can be in a pretty good spot.”
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