Leading contenders and hidden gems in race to replace Australia’s Big Three

As the pain crippling his back proved too much to bear, and a date with the surgery table beckoned, Tom Whitney sensed his chances of announcing himself among the next generation of Australian fast bowlers slipping.

It took countless hours of physiotherapy to recover from a herniated disc, languishing on the sidelines in what should have been a breakout summer.

But the 21-year-old responded to his ordeal emphatically last week, becoming just the 12th Queensland Bull to claim a five-wicket haul on a Sheffield Shield debut, as he plotted his quest towards one day replacing the Test side’s ‘Big Three’.

Tom Whitney celebrates a wicket in his Queensland Bulls debut.Credit: Getty Images

“It was a pretty difficult pill to swallow, you’ve ruled yourself out for the year, and you have a few thoughts in the mind,” Whitney said.

“About this time last year I injured myself in a Second XI game, and had about a six-week period trying to rehab it and nothing was really working.

“We agreed to get surgery and pretty much as soon as I woke up all the nerve pain was gone. Now it’s about dealing with those setbacks and becoming stronger.

“That would obviously be the dream to get your Baggy Green, but I haven’t really looked that far ahead yet. It’s definitely an aspiration to represent your country, so hopefully with a nice few years I can stay on the park and those goals can come true.”

Whitney will now spend the next few years ensuring he is on the radar for when Australia’s frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc retire.

He is joined in an emerging crop of quicks by Callum Vidler, who has already been clocked at speeds around 140km/h.

While he is currently nursing issues with osteitis pubis, a joint inflammation condition which causes pain in the groin and lower abdomen, the 18-year-old is on track for the Brisbane Heat’s Big Bash League campaign.

Callum Vidler celebrates his first wicket as a Queensland Bull.Credit: Getty Images

Vidler was a member of the victorious under-19s World Cup and finished as Australia’s leading wicket-taker (14), while fellow Bull Tom Straker’s 6/24 against Pakistan were record figures in the knockout stages.

The immovable standing of Cummins and co will not last forever, and Vidler believes he could be in line to peak in time to take the mantle.

“I certainly have the aspirations to play for Australia, and I think I’m quite fortunate with the timings of the current Aussie cartel,” Vidler said.

“It’s one of the best bowling attacks Australia’s ever had, and you feel sorry for Scott Boland or ‘Nes’ who are incredible and haven’t had the opportunities they could have.

“I have that dream, but I want to focus on playing Shield again, and I’m sure if I do all the right things I can be at that level when they retire to be the person who can go in.”

Callum Vidler

While it may be several years until Queensland’s young trio push for international honours, Xavier Bartlett has made an immediate impression.

The Heat seamer capitalised a standout Big Bash season to make his Australian debuts – claiming four scalps both of his one-day outings while finishing with six wickets in four T20s before succumbing to a side strain in England.

Xavier Bartlett.Credit: Getty

The 25-year-old has eyed November’s T20 series against Pakistan for his comeback, and has been improving his batting while healing.

But Bartlett laughed off suggestions his renewed focus with the willow would echo Cameron Green – who rose to prominence as a bowler before stress fractures forced him to hone his batting to great effect.

“Greeny is an amazing batter – being a tenth of the batter he is, I’ll take that any day of the week,” Bartlett said.

“I’ve never done [a side strain] before. It was obviously really disappointing and frustrating to pick it up when I did.

“The body’s feeling good ... I’m back to full running now. It’s really starting to take shape.”

But while he desires to join the Test fold, Bartlett felt even now there were too many bowlers ahead of him in the pecking order, even if the all-star trio were to depart tomorrow.

Despite Australia’s tendency to manage the workload of Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc, he expressed his hope the contingent would see out the entire five-Test series against India.

“Those three have been durable for such a long period of time, and I hope they get through the five-Test series for us because that’s our best bowling attack, and if they’re going well the Australian cricket team is in a very strong spot,” Bartlett said.

“There’s going to be opportunities in the future, and hopefully if I put some good performances on I’ll put my hand up to fill the massive shoes those three have had for 10 years.

“But there are so many great bowlers around the country. Jhye Richardson is fit, Michael Neser took a brilliant five-fer in WA, Lance Morris and Scotty Boland – I could be here for hours telling you how great the rest of our bowling group is.”