Mitchell Starc now fifth in line with recall of Josh Hazlewood

Mitchell Starc is a luxury Australia cannot afford as they seek to strangle England’s batsmen.

Josh Hazlewood, back in the Test side in place of James Pattinson, celebrates the wicket of England skipper Joe Root during the first session at Lord’s. Picture: AFP

The decision to play Josh Hazlewood at Lord’s proved bad news for Mitchell Starc and England’s top order.

As inconceivable as it would sound anywhere else in the world, it is conceivable that Starc could leave England without having played a Test.

He may be first choice in most conditions, a star of the World Cup just past and feared by batsman of all forms. He has been a constant in teams when available, but it is difficult to see how he gets a start should others remain in form and fit, and Australia’s prospects remain as bullish as they are after Edgbaston.

Hazlewood repaid the selectors for their favour by snaring Jason Roy for a duck with his third delivery of the morning. That may not be such an achievement, but trapping Joe Root (14) in front eight overs later was.

Australia would have had Joe Denly soon after drinks had Usman Khawaja managed to accept what looked like a sharp but straight forward catch in the gully off the bowling of Peter Siddle. The bowler already had his finger raised in celebration but the ball missed the fielder’s hands and struck him in the chest.

If quicks were English cabs Starc would be fifth on the rank. James Pattinson and Pat Cummins are the first two choices. Siddle is third by a nose over Hazlewood. Presumably Starc, with 211 wickets from his 51 Tests, sits ahead of Michael Neser who has not played at this level.

Siddle was chosen ahead of Hazlewood for the first Test and the latter as replacement for Pattinson in this one.

At any other rank Starc numbers among the first two or three. Even on a dust bowl his ability to gain reverse swing has him in the side. Some see it as a madness that he wasn’t in either of the first two Tests. West Indian great Michael Holding is a man of direct logic and one who cannot believe Starc is in this situation.

“As far as I am concerned, if he is fit he plays,” Holding told The Australian.

Conservatives now control the numbers on Australia’s coaching and selection staff. Justin Langer and the brains trust of the team argue the old approach has not produced a series win in England since 2001 and something had to change.

There is a cautious approach to both batting and bowling. The speed and swing that make Starc such an attractive package in all other conditions have him earmarked as a little too liberal for the times. In the new thinking economy rates are celebrated over speed in England.

Langer believes control is the key to reversing the recent history of failure in English conditions.

If the team stays on top in the series he and the selection staff will be vindicated. If they should stumble questions will be asked.

Lord’s seemed the ideal venue for Starc, but Hazlewood was given the nod, presumably because he is a member of the “dry” faction which believes that a low economy rate is paramount.

Pattinson has been put in cotton wool after the win in Edgbaston. At best he was to play three of the Tests. In wildest dreams four.

When he pulled up sore on Monday, despite an extended break between the first and second Tests, the coaches and selectors immediately ruled him out.

Langer explained that they believe Pattinson could only play in one of the two back-to-back pairs of Tests in this series. There are four-day turnarounds between the Lord’s and Headingley matches and the final two at Old Trafford and The Oval. In an ideal world he will be fit for Leeds, then come back after a 13-day break and play the remaining games.

While no player is expecting to play all five games, selectors could rotate between the four who have been first choice in the first two matches leaving Starc with drinks duties.

It is extraordinary to have six fast bowlers in a squad and to have five of the best bowlers in the country fit at the same time.

“It’s the first time in however long I’ve been coaching that we’ve actually had the luxury of having six high-class fast bowlers fit up and running,” Langer admitted before the toss.

“We’re lucky to have the situation to be able to do that but it doesn’t happen very often.

Langer admitted it was a difficult choice to leave Starc out, but Hazlewood was the man for the team’s Ashes game plan.

“We know that the style of play against England, that at his best he should execute those plans really well,” Langer said.