Changes won't disrupt Test attack: Siddle

Updated December 22, 2012 16:47:53

Australia's fast-bowling spearhead Peter Siddle says an ever-changing Test pace attack will not hurt the team's ability to bowl as a unit.

After changing the entire three-man pace attack from the second to third Tests against South Africa, then making two more changes for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart, Australia are set for another reshuffle for Boxing Day at the MCG.

With Ben Hilfenhaus already ruled out, left-armer Mitchell Starc, who took five second-innings wickets in Hobart, is reportedly set for a spell.

That would open the way for Mitchell Johnson to return and Jackson Bird to make his Test debut against Sri Lanka and become the seventh quick used in four Tests.

Siddle, the only paceman locked in for a second Test start, scoffed at reports that Starc had already been earmarked for a rest before the team even trains together for the first time at the MCG on Sunday.

But the Victorian said constant changes would not hurt the attack's teamwork.

"Not at all," Siddle told reporters at the MCG on Saturday.

"That's probably been the big thing that we've done well in especially the past 18 months.

"Whoever's come into the squad they've known what they had to do.

"The guys that have come in in that time have shown that they can execute their skills and work with the rest of the players in the squad to maintain that pressure.

"That's what the success that we've had in that time has come down to.

"The squad has changed a lot with the bowlers, but we've stuck together, we've worked well as a team."

Siddle backed the rotation policy, saying while every player would love to play every Test, it was not always possible, such as when he sat out the series-deciding Perth loss to South Africa after a lion-hearted bowling effort in Adelaide.

"I made the right decision," he said.

"I knew that if I had have been selfish and gone out there and got injured that I would have put a lot of pressure on the rest of the side.

"After what we had in Adelaide (with James Pattinson getting injured) I didn't want to do that so I made the right decision."

Siddle said Bird was beautifully suited to the MCG, where he has taken 14 wickets at 12.07 in two Sheffield Shield games.

"It's a very patient ground," the Victorian said.

"Our gameplan works beautifully here.

"I guess I've had my success a similar way to him - you bowl nagging lengths and be patient, you bowl tight lines - that's sort of been the go-to here for us.

"He's a very similar type to those sort of styles."

Tags: sport, cricket, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted December 22, 2012 16:43:03

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Starc and Siddle deliver Australian win

By Andrew McGarry

Updated December 19, 2012 08:04:42

Six wickets in a dramatic final session have given Australia victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Bellerive Oval.

Pace did the damage, as first Peter Siddle and then Mitchell Starc cut through some brave Sri Lankan resistance to clinch a 137-run victory with 10.4 overs left in the day.

As it happened: First Test, Day Five

The win - Australia's first Test victory of the summer - avoided a repeat of Adelaide, where the home side failed to take enough wickets on the final day to defeat South Africa.

Australia will go into the Boxing Day Test with a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

Starc took 5 for 63 following on from his strong performance in Perth against South Africa.

Siddle was again crucial for Australia, taking key wickets as the final day wore on, keeping Australia in with a chance of victory.

He took 4 for 50 to go with his first innings haul of 5 for 54 and was unsurprisingly named man of the match.

Siddle told Grandstand that it was a tough challenge to prise out the Sri Lankan batting on the final day.

"Any bowling effort is going to be hard, but we knew if we kept persisting, and kept bowling in the right areas that the wickets would come," he said.

"It was just like the first innings, we dug in and kept nagging away at them ... and we got the results.

"Credit to the whole bowling unit, the way we went about it and the way we built the pressure - and getting 20 wickets for the match was outstanding."

Captain Michael Clarke had nothing but praise for his team's effort after the match.

"I think the fight the bowlers showed was outstanding, I think the way the batters went about in the second innings ... that it didn't bother them that they had to sacrifice their wicket for the team and score as quickly as they could - that takes a lot of character," he said.

Asked what he said to his team before the final session, he replied: "(I said) take six wickets, please!"

"We knew it was going to take hard work on that pitch, and consistent bowling in one area, execution of our plans - so credit to the bowlers, they certainly did that today."

Clarke joined the growing Australian injury list when he retired hurt in the second innings with a hamstring injury.

Asked if he was confident he would be able to recover in time to take his place for the Boxing Day Test, he replied: "No doubt".

The Sri Lankans had begun the day at 2 for 65 facing an uphill task to secure a draw on a deteriorating wicket.

The key to survival was the two veterans, captain Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

The pair frustrated the Australian attack for some time, taking the score to 2 for 112 before Siddle made the breakthrough, dismissing Jayawardene for 19, caught by Clarke at slip.

The big wicket was Sangakkara, and when he was trapped in front by Siddle for 63, it looked like Australia was well on its way to victory.

A rearguard action by Thilan Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews showed Sri Lanka had other ideas, however.

When Clarke threw the ball to Matthew Wade just before tea with Sri Lanka still four wickets down, it was clear the pressure was back on the home side.

Enter Siddle, who drew an edge to the keeper to remove Mathews (19), then produced an unplayable ball that swung late and stayed low to dismiss Samaraweera for 49, leaving the tourists at 6 for 218 and the tail exposed.

Then Starc took over with a brilliant spell of bowling that accounted for Prasanna Jayawardene for 21 and Nuwan Kulasekara for 9.

There was still a chance of survival for the tourists, but when Starc sent down another yorker that pitched at Rangana Herath's toes before cannoning into the stumps, it was down to the last wicket.

Siddle had one last chance to grab the last wicket and make history with the first 10-wicket Test match haul at Bellerive, but Chanaka Welegedara and Shaminda Eranga managed to negotiate his over.

It was Starc who dismissed Eranga with a short ball feathered to the keeper to kickstart the Australian celebrations.

Sri Lankan captain Jayawardene told Grandstand things had looked positive at tea before Siddle and Starc took over.

"Siddle bowled a very good spell after tea and he got rid of Samaraweera and Angelo (Mathews). From that point on it was going to be tough," he said.

"I thought throughout the Test match we fought very well.

"(I'm) a bit disappointed but at the end of the day we were behind in this Test match, trying to save (the game) after four days of cricket, not a good position to be in.

"Losing to a better side today, we need to go back to the drawing board.

"There are positives we can take from this, (Tillakaratne) Dilshan batted very well, and the bowlers did bowl well in patches - we need to be more consistent."

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia, sri-lanka

First posted December 18, 2012 19:42:38

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Siddle cleared of ball-tampering charges

Updated December 18, 2012 18:45:13

Peter Siddle has been cleared of ball tampering charges after reports he had been seen picking the ball's seam during the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart.

Test match referee Chris Broad had earlier said there was no formal complaint made by Sri Lankan management, before releasing a statement clearing the fast bowler of the charges.

"In the opinion of the umpires, there was no evidence to suggest that the condition of the ball was changed, or that the video or photographic evidence would support a charge under the code of conduct, so they will not be laying any charges relating to these incidents," he said in a statement.

Cricket news website Cricinfo and a Sri Lankan newspaper both reported that the tourists' management had discussed a claim with Broad that Australian players were seen picking the ball's seam during the first innings.

An unsourced report on Cricinfo said Sri Lankan officials were concerned by footage of Siddle, who took 5 for 54 in the first innings, before finishing with match figures of 9 for 104.

Newspaper the Daily News claimed two "prominent Australians" were noticed picking the seam.

"It is hoped that an inquiry will be held and that if the story is true, appropriate action will be taken and the culprits exposed," the report read.

Broad issued a statement saying he had received no formal complaint.

"ICC match referee Chris Broad is aware of the media reports coming out of Sri Lanka on the ball issue," it read.

"The Sri Lankan team has made no official complaint about the ball."

ABC/AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia, sri-lanka

First posted December 18, 2012 12:31:46

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Super Siddle gives Australia the edge

By Andrew McGarry

Updated December 17, 2012 09:52:02

Australia's batsmen need a strong start to day four to set up a first Test victory, according to paceman Peter Siddle, who broke through the Sri Lankan batting order on day three at Bellerive Oval.

Australia was 0 for 27 at stumps, a lead of 141 with two days to go, after the Sri Lankans were dismissed in the final session for 336.

Siddle made the difference for Australia with another lion-hearted performance, taking 5 for 54 off 25.3 overs.

The Victorian paceman helped tie down the Sri Lankan batsmen, raising the pressure on the tourists with 11 maiden overs.

He was critical at the end of the innings, taking three wickets in 12 deliveries to blast out the Sri Lankans for 336, still 114 behind on first-innings.

As it happened: First Test, Day Three

His performance was even more important following the injury to Tasmanian quick Ben Hilfenhaus, who took no further part in the Sri Lankan innings after suffering a side strain in the opening session.

Siddle told Grandstand he expected to be bowling again some time on day four in search of victory in the first Test.

"I think to get a good result, and give ourselves enough time to get them out, I think so (declaration on day four)," he said.

"At the other end, of course, you've got to get a good enough score to defend, so it depends how we go about in the morning, I guess.

"Tomorrow's going to be hard work for the batters, so tomorrow morning's going to be the big key, that first hour to see if we can get through that and see where we go from there."

Despite getting through a solid workload in the first innings, Siddle told Grandstand he would be looking forward to getting another shot at the Sri Lankan batting.

"We know it's going to be tough ... that's why we play Test cricket, we want to get out there and have a crack at the second innings - that's where you win matches for your country and that's what we'll be doing," he said.

Siddle said accuracy was the key to success on the Bellerive pitch.

"I think when we were batting it showed that there was a bit of variable bounce, and ... we knew we had to bowl in the right areas," he said.

"It probably took us some time this morning to find those areas, but after lunch once we got it together from both ends, we got the rewards."

Sri Lanka had recovered from 4 for 87 at the start of the day, thanks to a 161-run partnership between Tillakaratne Dilshan (147) and Angelo Mathews (75).

Siddle broke the partnership with Mathews' wicket, then Starc dismissed Dilshan with the score on 289.

Siddle then went through Prasanna Jayawardene (40), Rangana Herath (0) and Chanaka Welegedara for a duck to close the innings. Nathan Lyon took the other wicket, dismissing Nuwan Kulasekara for 23.

The Sri Lankan bowlers then came out and put the Australian openers under real pressure in a difficult session before stumps.

In particular Kulasekara posed serious questions, moving the ball both ways in an impressive spell.

He should have had a wicket with the score on 0 for 11, when a top delivery hit Ed Cowan in front but was given not out. Inexplicably the tourists failed to refer the decision and replays showed Cowan was plum leg before.

Australia survived until stumps, with Cowan not out on 16 and Warner not out on 8.

Dilshan told Grandstand he was happy with his 147, which included 21 boundaries.

"It's my first century on Australian soil, against a great attack, so I'm happy," he said.

He said his team would gain confidence from the partnership between him and Mathews when chasing a total on the final day, but said the first target was to make inroads into Australia's batting line-up on day four.

"I think it's important in the first session tomorrow if we can get a couple of wickets, and put Australia on the back foot," he said.

"Then we can see what the target is, whether it's gettable or not."

Tags: sport, cricket, hobart-7000, tas, australia

First posted December 16, 2012 19:32:06

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No regrets on WACA Test withdrawal: Siddle

Updated December 12, 2012 10:10:40

Pace spearhead Peter Siddle has no regrets about the decision which ruled him out of the series-deciding Test against South Africa in Perth.

Siddle withdrew with hamstring tightness after an exhausting 63.5-over performance in the drawn Adelaide Test that finished just three full days before the start of the WACA match.

He says the decision was his and he was comfortable with it.

"You never want to miss a Test match but you've got to think of the greater picture and that was becoming the number one Test team," Siddle told reporters at Bellerive on Wednesday.

"If I had have gone out there and got injured, it would have been selfish."

Australia's revamped pace attack was blunted by the Proteas, whose batsmen clubbed 569 in the second innings at the WACA to set up a 1-0 series win.

The 28-year-old Siddle is a certainty to return to the attack for the first Test against Sri Lanka beginning in Hobart on Friday.

But Australia will choose between Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and local product Ben Hilfenhaus for two other pace-bowling positions.

Siddle said all four deserved consideration.

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't deserve a spot," he said.

"I think we all deserve a chance and it just depends on the best make-up of the side on the day."

He said Australia was aiming for a repeat of the crushing 4-0 defeat of India last season.

"We've lost the series against South Africa but we'll be coming out strong," he said.

"We want to repeat what we did to India last summer."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, australia, sri-lanka

First posted December 12, 2012 10:10:40

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Gabba win no easy task: Siddle

Updated October 31, 2012 11:25:09

Australia is unbeaten in its past 10 Gabba Tests, but it is going to take more than just turning up to beat the top-ranked South Africa in the first Test starting on November 9.

Pace spearhead Peter Siddle took 6 for 54 including a hat-trick in England's first innings in the drawn first Ashes Test of 2010/11 in Brisbane.

His likely new-ball partner James Pattinson claimed six wickets in last summer's Gabba Test against New Zealand, and also picked up 8 for 61 at the Gabba last month in a Sheffield Shield clash.

Even offspinner Nathan Lyon, who is struggling for form and is a possible 12th man, has a seven-wicket haul in his bag from last summer's Gabba Test.

"Everyone always talks about how it is a home for fast bowlers, a successful place for fast bowlers to go," Siddle says.

"But having that knowledge, it's not an easy place.

"You can't just turn up there and bowl and think you're going to do well as a fast bowler.

"(But) that advantage of past Test matches there will keep us in good stead.

"James Pattinson has had success up there last year in the Test match and again this summer in the Shield game.

"If we can all work together we can start off well."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith admits the Gabba is an unknown factor for the Proteas, who have not played a Test in Brisbane since 1963.

Pattinson, who made his Test debut in Brisbane last summer, says he is taking confidence from a solid build-up at Shield level with 16 wickets in three matches.

Siddle and Pattinson will also play for Victoria in the Bushrangers' Shield game against Western Australia starting on Thursday at the MCG.

"Any opportunity to play for Australia is an exciting time, especially against the number one team," Pattinson says.

Pattinson recalled the pain of missing out on selection for the Test series in South Africa in November 2011.

"It probably held me in great stead for last summer. It got me back playing some Shield cricket," he said.

"It's a bit of deja vu. I've had the same sort of preparation, the same lead-in, to this first Test match.

"It's something that I'm looking forward to and it gives me some good confidence."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, south-africa

First posted October 31, 2012 11:25:09

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Siddle and Watson raring to go

Updated November 29, 2012 11:26:42

Australia's pace spearhead Peter Siddle says he is "feeling fit and confident" ahead of Friday's crucial third Test against South Africa.

The Victorian speedster is likely to be joined at the WACA by a fit Shane Watson, who says he is on track to bowl in the series decider.

There have been worries as to how Siddle would shape up after just three days' rest following his effort bowling 64 overs, 22 of which were on the last day, in the drawn second Test in Adelaide.

Siddle is convinced he will be able to play with his characteristic 100 per cent commitment on a track where fast bowlers on either side are likely to be the match-winners.

"I'm feeling good now, I've recovered well and got everything I needed to get done after the game," Siddle said this morning at the WACA.

"Last couple of days I'll just take it easy and get ready tomorrow and prepare then. I feel good, I've got plenty of sleep and the body is feeling good which is nice.

"I woke up feeling good this morning ... so I'll have a bit of a trundle tomorrow and see how we go there."

Siddle admitted the second innings in Adelaide was one of his hardest days in Test cricket.

"It was very dry heat out on the field which was tough work and a lot of overs which is always a tough ask ... just a bit of exhaustion and fight trying to get those last couple of wickets," Siddle said.

There was more good news for the Australian team from the returning all-rounder Watson, who declared he was freshened up and ready to bowl.

Watson said he had bowled six overs without problems in the nets on Tuesday, and was well on track to be part of the Australian attack in Perth.

"I'm certainly going to be good to bowl as many overs as Michael (Clarke) wants," he said.

"(I will be able for) the usual workload, really, that I normally bowl in a Test match."

Watson said he understood he might be called upon to bowl significant overs in Perth to take the heat off the likes of Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus.

"No doubt the selectors will keep that in mind, the best way for us to take 20 wickets in the match," he said.

"I'm certainly fresh ... compared with the other guys, the body should be right."

With James Pattinson joining Patrick Cummins on the sidelines, Siddle and Hilfenhaus are likely to be joined by Mitchell Starc and possibly South Africa's nemesis in the two previous series between the countries, Mitchell Johnson.

Starc said he was still no clearer over whether he would get a start against the Proteas on Friday or not.

"My approach hasn't changed today compared to (before) the first two Tests," he said.

"(I'm) trying to make a good contest between bat and ball in the nets.

"I've said if I'm picked I'm ready to play."

Australia has kept its options open for the final Test with bowling all-rounder John Hastings and tall seamer Josh Hazlewood also included in a 14-man squad.

With Siddle and Hilfenhaus likely to rest their bodies ahead of Friday, the other bowlers will be looking to show they are worthy of a spot in the side during net practice over the next 24 hours.

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First posted November 28, 2012 13:23:30

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Siddle and Hilfenhaus rested for third Test

Updated November 29, 2012 17:13:19

Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus have been left out of Michael Clarke's squad for the third Test, with the Australian captain likely to put his faith in two debutants to win back the world No.1 ranking.

Clarke will wait to inspect the pitch on Friday morning before finalising his 12-man squad.

Spinner Nathan Lyon is in the squad, but if Clarke decides the wicket will better suit an all-pace attack he'll be giving John Hastings and Josh Hazlewood their first baggy green and recalling left-armers Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson.

Siddle and Hilfenhaus bowled more than 117 overs between them in the Adelaide Test as well as playing in Brisbane.

Australia's unofficial fast bowling leader Siddle in particular hit the wall by the end of the fifth day, compensating for the mid-match loss of James Pattinson from the attack.

On Wednesday Siddle said he was confident of getting himself right, but Clarke said he needed to go with a fresher line-up.

"It's a really tough decision, especially the way they've both performed - especially Sids the way he performed in the last Test match," said Clarke.

"But we need to do what's best for the team.

"It's about selecting the best 11 players to win this Test match in these conditions against the opposition you're playing.

"We feel we've got really good stock with the other four fast bowlers in the squad of 12 so I think we're certainly in pretty good hands."

Clarke has described the series decider as a "grand final" for his team.

If Australia win they will usurp South Africa as the No.1 team in the world.

The skipper believes Ricky Ponting's retirement announcement will further inspire the team.

Clarke is confident Hastings, 27, and Hazlewood, 21, can do the job and doesn't believe their inexperience will be an issue against the likes of Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and potentially Jacques Kallis.

"Not to me it's not ... and I don't think it's for the selectors either," Clarke said.

"I think they've both performed.

"We've got a very good squad, we're really lucky. Both guys are excited about opportunities to make their Test debut."

Clarke said his preference was always to play a spinner and Lyon wasn't completely out of the running to play despite Australia going with all-pace attacks at the WACA for the past two summers.

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, John Hastings (12th man to be named).

AAP

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First posted November 29, 2012 15:19:24

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Siddle warns of bowling fireworks

Updated October 08, 2012 20:29:59

Meat is off the menu for converted vegetarian Peter Siddle but the wicket-hungry paceman is ready to tuck into a large serve of South African batsmen in next month's potentially explosive Gabba Test.

The Proteas return to the Gabba for the first time in 49 years armed with the fastest bowler on the planet, Dale Steyn, heading their scary pace battery and world cricket's most feared all-rounder Jacques Kallis (12,600 runs and 280 wickets) still terrorising top-shelf bowling attacks at age 37.

Siddle, who has fond memories of the pacey Brisbane ground where he snared a magical Ashes hat-trick against England in 2010, warned Australia would deliver some fireworks of its own in the November 9-14 showdown, the first of three Tests between the first- and third-ranked countries in world cricket.

"It's obviously our home turf and we (bowlers) want to show them who's boss in that sense," declared a leaner Siddle, who has turned vegetarian to help lose weight to accommodate a slightly modified bowling action.

"It's the force we (bowlers) can have when blokes come in and out of the side.

"Mitch Starc came in, Patrick Cummins earlier on, James Pattinson along with Ryan Harris, Hilfy (Hilfenhaus) and myself.

"If we can get firing again this summer and really give it to them we can really push to be that number one bowling attack in the world.

Siddle, who has reportedly given up alcohol for six months, says things could get "very aggressive" between the bowlers.

"The last two series against South Africa it has got pretty fired up. The bowlers do tend to go at each other pretty fiercely and I don't that that will change," he said.

"We like to have a crack at them and they like to have a crack."

Siddle and swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus are strongly fancied to lead Australia's bowling with input from young guns James Pattinson, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

"We all know about the workload issues and the injuries we've had in the past so it'll be good to be able to keep the bowling line-up fresh, strong and fiery for a big 18 months coming up," he said.

Siddle, who posted a career-high 87 runs in Victoria's 10-wicket Shield win against Western Australia last weekend, said the grit and experience of seasoned hands Ricky Ponting and David Hussey would be vital against such an intimidating pace attack.

"They worked well the last few years under the constant pressure of what going to happen to their careers," he said.

"Punter (Ponting) showed last summer under all the media pressure and speculation that he can perform and Hussey is in great form."

Siddle will use this week's Shield clash with defending champion Queensland to fine-tune his action for the Test.

AAP

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First posted October 08, 2012 20:29:59

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Pattinson, Siddle returning home

Updated April 20, 2012 06:26:44

Australian fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle were ordered to return home from West Indies because of back injuries.

Siddle departed the Caribbean before the end of the second Test in Port of Spain, having already been forced to miss the match with back soreness, while Pattinson will leave for Australia in the next 24 hours.

Pattinson injured his back when fielding on day three of the Test, which ended in a draw this morning.

"We have since monitored his (Pattinson) condition over the last couple of days and the initial investigations suggest that while the injury is not serious there is insufficient time for him to recover to play in the third Test match," Australia physiotherapist Kevin Sims said in a statement.

No replacement will be called up, leaving Australia with three pacemen - Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Starc - available for the third Test starting next week in Dominica.

Tags: cricket, sport, trinidad-and-tobago

First posted April 20, 2012 06:26:44

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Lyon to be Aussie trump, says Siddle

Updated January 27, 2012 09:03:32

Paceman Peter Siddle expects spinner Nathan Lyon to bowl Australia to a 4-0 series sweep over India on a wearing Adelaide Oval pitch.

Australia resume on day four of the fourth Test at 3 for 50 in their second innings, a lead of 382 runs over the struggling Indians.

Siddle, who took 5 for 49 as India were bowled out for 272 on Thursday, believes Lyon will be the trump card as Australia press for victory.

"There was a couple of balls that went up-and-down... hopefully it (the pitch) deteriorates a little bit more," Siddle said.

"Hopefully we can bat the next 30 or 40 overs in the morning, if we can bat that time, and see where we go from there.

"It always gets hard here the fourth and fifth days, it's tough to bat on.

"There is starting to be a bit of turn, so I think Nathan Lyon is definitely going to come into the game massively in their second innings.

"Hopefully we can support him well and get the job done."

Australia opted not to make India follow-on after Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus (3-62) scuttled the tourists in their first innings.

Siddle said that decision was easy, given Adelaide Oval's history of being difficult to bat on late in a game.

"The Adelaide wicket is one you don't want to be batting on last, so we didn't think too much about that," he said of the follow-on.

"It was just a matter of batting for a bit of time but also trying to get some runs and bat them out of the game."

But Indian centurion Virat Kholi believes his team can still make a real game of the final Test if it can capture early wickets today.

"Last time around as well Australia in the Adelaide Test, they scored 400 on the first day and we chased [that] down in the fourth innings, the ball is turning square now and with Ashwin bowling, well you never know," he said.

AAP/ABC

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted January 27, 2012 08:43:48

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'I want to play' - Siddle

Updated January 19, 2012 16:43:44

In the form of his life and with a potential whitewash looming against India, Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle has no wish to become a victim of any rotation policy.

One of Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Starc - the four-pronged pace attack that decimated India in two-and-a-half days on the bouncy WACA deck in the third Test - will need to make way for the return of spinner Nathan Lyon for the fourth and final Test at the Adelaide Oval next week.

Siddle knows he is likely to get the tap on the shoulder at some stage, especially as he is the only Australian speedster to have played in each of the last eight Tests since being dropped during last year's tour of Sri Lanka.

But he doesn't want it to be now, at the tail end of a series against India where he has claimed an impressive 17 scalps at 19.58.

It shapes as a very tough call for John Inverarity's selection panel, with a rejuvenated Hilfenhaus boasting 23 wickets at 16 against India, Ryan Harris back fit and firing and left-armer Mitchell Starc providing welcome variety.

And Starc did his chances of retention in the Test side no harm with a match-winning haul of 3 for 29 in the Sydney Sixers' BBL win over the Scorchers on Wednesday.

"Any opportunity to play for Australia is a great honour and I definitely don't want to give my spot up to anyone else and let them have the opportunity," Siddle said on Thursday.

"I want to play (in Adelaide).

"But we'll have to see what happens in the future - whether it's the one-dayers, in the West Indies, that sort of thing.

"We'll have the discussions, but my thoughts are definitely to play."

With tyros James Pattinson and Patrick Cummins both sidelined with foot stress fractures, Cricket Australia is mindful of the need not to grind its fast bowlers into the turf.

The upcoming triangular one-day series involving India and Sri Lanka provides another opportunity for CA to share the bowling workload.

"That could be the case," acknowledged Siddle.

"At the moment we've got a few injuries so hopefully I do get my opportunity to get back in there and have a crack - obviously I want to.

"But I guess those boys will be coming back at the same time so there might be a time that they can have a look at a few of us and give us a bit of a rest and get a few different blokes in there."

Siddle and Hilfenhaus have been two clear beneficiaries of the appointment of former Test spearhead Craig McDermott as the Australian bowling coach.

According to the Victorian, there's no secret to McDermott's success.

"Obviously he played a lot of Test cricket and took a lot of wickets himself and just that knowledge on how to get batsmen out, how to go about it in different conditions has helped tremendously," he said.

"He hasn't done a lot with our actions or the technical side of things - it's all about what you've got is what you've got and to use that."

India have been unable to extend any of the first three Tests beyond four days, with pressure mounting on their ageing batting line-up.

They will also be without skipper MS Dhoni for the final Test starting on Tuesday after he received a one-match suspension for presiding over a slow over rate in Perth.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, melbourne-3000, sa, adelaide-5000

First posted January 19, 2012 16:39:57

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Siddle called up for Australia A

Posted June 23, 2011 16:12:00

Paceman Peter Siddle will have a chance to push his case for selection in Australia's tour of Sri Lanka after earning a late call-up for Australia A's four-day games against Zimbabwe.

Cricket Australia opted to promote Siddle after James Faulkner (glandular fever) was ruled out of the trip to Zimbabwe.

John Hastings will be Faulkner's replacement in Australia A's one-day squad.

Siddle was used in the recent Ashes series but has not played for the national team since, most notably being overlooked for the World Cup.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said his panel was keen for the pair, who both have CA contracts, to play under match conditions ahead of Australia's tour to Sri Lanka in August.

"Both John and Peter have had a reasonable period off cricket and the tour gives them a great opportunity to bowl at international level ahead of potential selection for the Australian tour of Sri Lanka," Hilditch said.

The form shown in Australia A's series against Zimbabwe is likely to determine a number of spots in the Test side.

Siddle will be playing alongside fellow quick Ben Hilfenhaus, spinner Michael Beer and young batsmen Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes.

All five played in Australia's last Test in Sydney.

Australia A opens their tour with a one-day game on June 29, with the first four-day game starting on July 15.

-AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, vic

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