Australia coach Darren Lehmann faces pacemen selection dilemma
Tuesday 16 June 2015 14:57, UK
Australia coach Darren Lehmann admits he faces a "massive headache" when selecting his quick bowlers for the Ashes opener against England next month.
The Aussies sealed a convincing 2-0 Test series victory over West Indies with three of their frontline pace bowlers making contributions during the two matches.
Josh Hazlewood was named man of the series after picking up 12 wickets while left-armers Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson were also effective.
Australia have an embarrassment of riches when it come to pacemen, which leaves Lehmann with difficult selection choices to make for the Ashes, particularly as Ryan Harris - who was rested for the Caribbean tour - and Peter Siddle are also vying for a fast bowling berth.
“Those guys have given us a massive headache - albeit a good one - and we have a really tough decision to make,” Lehmann told the Aussies' official website.
"Two of those five guys are going to be unbelievably unlucky to miss out, but that's what happens when you're playing good cricket. You have to make those hard decisions."
Before the opening Test against England, which starts in Cardiff on July 8, Australia face Kent and Essex in warm-up matches.
"The two tour matches going into leading into the series will play a big part of our thinking," added Lehmann.
"We need to see how the bowlers pull up and how they bowl in the different conditions, on different pitches and with the different ball."
Australia have a poor recent record in the Ashes in England, winning just two Tests out of 15 in the last decade.
This year, however, Lehmann is understandably confident. Australia were 5-0 victors in the last series and showed signs of their clinical best against the West Indies.
"It's been two years since our last Ashes tour and there's a big change in mindset for me personally and the team compared to when were there in 2013,” he said.
"The guys are definitely in a better space than they were two years ago. We're really close as a team and we know what we have to do on and off the ground to achieve our goals."
