Steve Waugh feels Australia have made a mistake by not picking Todd Murphy.© AFP
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh slammed the management for dropping off-spinner Todd Murphy from the playing eleven for the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. Murphy, who replaced the injured Nathan Lyon for the third Test in Leeds, struggled to take wickets as England reduced the deficit to 1-2 in the ongoing five-match series. With England eyeing a series-levelling win in Manchester, Australia went into the game with an all-out pace attack. However, Waugh feels Australia have made a mistake by not picking Murphy.
“I tend to disagree with it. I think it’s a mistake, particularly in Manchester where the ball does turn. I know they’re probably looking at the forecast and saying there’s a bit of rain around, but you do need variation in the attack. Particularly with the way England plays,” Waugh, who played 168 Tests for Australia, told SENQ Breakfast.
Waugh feels that if Australia don’t score enough runs, England could level the series in Manchester.
“They go at the bowlers really hard and we’ve got four right-arm quick bowlers so there’s a bit of sameness about our attack. But if the wicket is pretty flat and we haven’t got too much up our sleeve, I think England will probably like the sight of the four right-arm quick bowlers,” he added.
On Day 1 of the fourth Ashes Test, Chris Woakes led England’s pace attack with 4-52 in 18.5 overs while Broad took 2-68 in 14 en route to a landmark 600 Test wickets.
At stumps on Day 1, Australia were 299/8 after Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh each made 51.
England have won 13 of their last 16 Tests at Old Trafford but have not enjoyed an Ashes victory at the Manchester ground since Ian Botham hit a celebrated hundred in 1981.
(With AFP Inputs)
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