The long wait for a baggy green looks set to continue for Chadd Sayers after Mitchell Starc claimed Australia's pace attack would have no problem backing up in this week's second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Glenn Maxwell may also be out of luck after his much-lauded Sheffield Shield double century with national selector Mark Waugh saying his preference was a Test allrounder who bowled medium pace.
Sayers appeared set to make his Test debut at hometown Adelaide after being picked in Australia's initial 13 with the pink ball Test in mind.
In another encouraging sign, the South Australian swing king was then asked to remain and train with the national squad for the Ashes opener in Brisbane after fellow quick Jackson Bird was released for Sheffield Shield duty.
But Starc didn't expect any changes for the day-night Test starting on Saturday with victory in sight at the Gabba.
Australia were 0-114 at stumps on day four after being set 170 for victory.
"It won't be an issue backing up, it's all good," Starc said.
Starc and fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were expected to endure heavier workloads and be rested at some stage of the five Test series after selectors opted not to pick an allrounder.
Starc bowled 44 overs in the first Test, Hazlewood 38.4 and the injury plagued Cummins 42.4 but Starc said they weren't feeling the heat.
"As far as I know, we're all going pretty well so I'd expect it to be the same squad and hopefully the same line-up going into Adelaide," he said.
It would be another baggy green setback for Sayers, who was 12th man last summer for Tests against South Africa and Pakistan.
Maxwell also would have had the Adelaide Test in his sights after his 278 for Victoria against NSW at North Sydney Oval but Waugh said his preference was an allrounder who was a "seam-up" bowler.
Maxwell bowls off-spin.
"He's not a bowling allrounder, he's a batsman who bowls," he told Triple M.
"Ideally, you'd want a man at six who bowls seam-up as your batting allrounder."
Share
