Aussie 'big four' pacemen together at last

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson look set to play together for the first time in Australia's ICC Champions Trophy campaign.

Australia will give England an early taste of their Ashes assault with coach Darren Lehmann set to roll out a frightening four-pronged pace attack in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson are all fit and Lehmann says he is tempted to play all of them, provided it suits the conditions that await in England.

"I would think we'd go down that path from afar," Lehmann said on Thursday.

"It's the first time we've had the big four available.

"But I've not been there - apparently, it's bloody freezing over there at the moment.

"It would be great to see them go at it and see how they go. They're quality players and we've got a quality squad."

Lehmann has long dreamed of playing all four at once but injury has robbed him of the opportunity, until now.

Cummins, 24, is finally fit and playing consistent cricket for the first time in his career after overcoming a series of back stress fractures.

Together with John Hastings and Marcus Stoinis, there are multiple pace options at Lehmann's disposal for the tournament, which begins on June 1 and will be played amid an increasingly bitter pay dispute back home.

Australia are in the same pool as England for the tournament and the two sides are slated to meet on June 10 at Edgbaston.

"We've just covered all our bases with the squad and (Adam) Zampa as the spinner," Lehmann said.

Starc, Hazlewood, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and allrounder Stoinis are all set to leave Australia on Thursday night, with the rest of the squad either already playing in England or in the Indian Premier League.

"It's not ideal that (for) our preparation ... we've got five here, a few in England, a few in India," he said.

"But that's the way it is with cricket these days.

"We've just got to adjust and grow with the game and get it right."

Lehmann said he was unsure where the explosive Chris Lynn would fit into Australia's batting line-up, if at all.

The explosive Queenslander has hit two half-centuries in four IPL innings for Kolkata Knight Riders since recovering from a shoulder injury.

"First, he's got to get selected in the XI and the captain will tell him where he's going to bat," Lehmann said.

"We've had discussions. He's an excitement machine."

Australia play warm-up games on May 26 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan three days later before the Champions Trophy begins.


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Source: AAP



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