Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia spinner Xavier Doherty becomes victim of unpredictable SCG pitch

XAVIER Doherty appears virtually no chance of earning a reprieve for the blockbuster semi-final against India, regardless of what conditions the SCG offers up.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 08: Xavier Doherty of Australia looks dejected during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Sydney Cricket Ground on March 8, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

XAVIER Doherty appears virtually no chance of earning a reprieve in the World Cup semi-final blockbuster against India, regardless of what conditions the unpredictable SCG offers up.

Australia has been so mystified by the SCG wicket of late, they have no idea what to expect against spin-happy India on Thursday, but even if their worst nightmares are realised, Doherty still appears on the outer.

For the past three World Cup matches the Sydney surface has been a lottery — it was flat for Australia’s clash with Sri Lanka, seaming for England versus Afghanistan and slow for South Africa’s quarterfinal triumph over Sri Lanka.

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Michael Clarke and Glenn Maxwell celebrate with Xavier Doherty after the spinner took a catch against Sri Lanka.

But Australia’s trust issues go back even further than that.

They were dissatisfied with the unplayable green top that saw the fifth Ashes Test last summer over inside three days and also the lifeless wicket that resulted in January’s Test against India petering out into a boring draw.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood indicated Australia might need to have a quiet word to curator Tom Parker about leaving grass on the wicket.

“I’d like to,” said Hazlewood, who calls the SCG home.

“He didn’t do us any favours in the Test match there so we’d obviously like some grass on it to suit our quicks.

“As Pup (Michael Clarke) said … it would help us (with India) having a couple of spinners and us favouring the quicks so it would definitely be good.”

But for Australia’s waning faith in the Sydney conditions, it seems selectors have even less in first-choice spinner Doherty.

Which begs the question, why was he picked ahead of No. 1 Test spinner Nathan Lyon in the first place?

A Pakistani journalist asked Clarke in Friday’s post-match press conference in Adelaide if he was concerned about going to the SCG to face India without a frontline spinner in the squad.

Pakistan captain Misbah ul-Haq had earlier posed the same question.

“India have got a chance because they are playing in Sydney and the Sydney pitch, everybody knows, there’s a little bit for the spinners, and both their spinners [R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja] are bowling well,” he said.

Ravi Ashwin celebrates taking a wicket against South Africa. Picture: Colleen Petch.

“They [Australia] are a very balanced team, but I think playing in Sydney they might just miss a good spinner. That could be the difference there.

“When we played against England there the spinners got ... success on that pitch, and [in the quarter-final] Imran Tahir got wickets against Sri Lanka. That could be a problem for Australia. Also, playing against spin they might just be in trouble there.”

Clarke defended Doherty’s honour, but it’s understood that behind the scenes Australia are very hesitant to play the left-arm Tasmanian in the big matches.

Doherty was blasted for 0-60 from seven overs in his one and only outing this World Cup, which was at the SCG against Sri Lanka.

Clarke admitted at the time that had he not dropped a catch off Doherty’s bowling, his spinner’s figures wouldn’t have looked so bad.

But either way it seems Josh Hazlewood will retain his place as the third bowler in the attack no matter what the conditions serve up.

Australia will put their faith in Glenn Maxwell, Clarke and potentially even Steve Smith to deliver the spin overs.

“I don’t think a ball spun in game we played against Sri Lanka,” said Clarke.

“It depends on the wicket that gets prepared. The game played there recently looked like it had a bit of grass on it so that’ll certainly help our fast bowlers if the wicket is like that. If it does spin we’ve got spinning options in our squad.

“I think Xavier Doherty has been a really good spinner for Australia over the last few years … we’ve got Glenn Maxwell, hopefully I can bowl a few overs and we’ve got Steve Smith as well.

“I’m extremely satisfied (with our spin options).”