Ageing Usman Khawaja may well be dropped and replaced by a born and bred Yorkshireman who only moved Down Under at the ripe old age of 14
Australia are plotting to unleash their secret weapon for the second Ashes Test – an Englishman.
Pundits believe ageing Usman Khawaja will be dropped and replaced by Josh Inglis, who grew up in Leeds and only emigrated Down Under aged 14.
Ex-Aussie star Aaron Finch said wicketkeeper Inglis, 30, is the “obvious choice” to bat at number five if Travis Head remains at the top of the order.
And the Aussie media have also demanded he be picked for the second Ashes Test which begins on December 4 in Brisbane.
It comes after Inglis smashed an unbeaten 125 off 107 balls as Cricket Australia XI beat England Lions by eight wickets in Perth.
He has three Test caps for Australia, scoring 119 runs in four innings. It comes after doubts over Khawaja’s place in the side.
The 38-year-old struggled with back spasms during the first Test and didn’t open the batting in either innings.
Meanwhile, England are looking to bounce back after losing the opener by eight wickets last weekend.
Ben Stokes’ side have left ex-players stumped by not sending any starting players to join the Lions to feature against the Prime Minister’s XI for much-needed batting practice.
Only Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue, who didn’t play in the first Test, will play in the day-night game on Saturday.
Ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan fumed: “It’s amateurish if they don’t go and play now. What harm is playing two days of cricket with a pink ball under lights?
“It’s not old-school to suggest that a pink ball is different to a red ball. Playing under the lights is different. Australia have won pretty much every pink-ball game in Australia: they’ve lost once.
“I’m not too old-school to suggest that they should play in that game… I’d like to know why they wouldn’t.”
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