Uncapped quick leads pace race for Ashes spots

Queensland skipper Usman Khawaja has likened teammate Mark Steketee to South African great Dale Steyn, labelling the quick's current form as the best of his career.

Steketee is among a host of fast bowlers fighting for an advantage in the Ashes pecking order behind Australia's frontline Test trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

Although Queensland went down in their Marsh Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia by seven wickets on Saturday, Steketee again performed strongly with figures of 4-74 and 2-21.

The 27-year-old, who picked up career-best figures of 7-44 against South Australia last month, tops the Shield wicket-taker's list this season with 18 at 15.72.

The shock retirement of James Pattinson last month has clouded the identity of Australia's next fast bowler in line for an Ashes spot, and Khawaja says Steketee should be one of the leading contenders.

"(He) has been around the Aussie thinking (and) the next fast bowling crop for a while now," Khawaja said of Steketee, who was named in the squad for the tour of South Africa earlier this year, which was ultimately called off.

"This year, the way he's been bowling is as good as I've seen him bowl. He's got gears too, you can tell he's experienced now. He can read the conditions.

"When he was younger, he just used to try and bowl 100 per cent. He's got the skills and the gears now to take it back a bit and then ramp it up, much like Dale Steyn used to throughout his career."

Australia is expected to soon name an extended Ashes squad, with an intra-squad practice game early next month looming as a key shootout ahead of the first Vodafone Test against England on December 8.

Steketee, Bulls teammate Michael Neser, experienced Victorian Scott Boland, WA speedster Jhye Richardson and NSW allrounder Sean Abbott are among the next crop of quicks.

Richardson, who has two Tests to his name, starred against the Bulls with 3-38 and 5-23 and hit a valuable 35 with the bat.

Neser picked up a hamstring injury in his side's loss but is expected to be fit by the start of the Ashes.

National selectors could opt for a rotation policy this summer, with the five-Test series being squeezed into six weeks.

Khawaja, himself in top touch with the bat and pushing for a return to the Test side, said Steketee has been a clear standout at Shield level.

"He's bowling beautifully right now. He's been the pick of our bowlers all season," he said.

"The bounce and the kiss he's getting off the wicket, we feel in the game every ball."

Australia's fast-bowling depth

(2021-22 Marsh Sheffield Shield statistics)

Mark Steketee – 18 wickets at 15.72 from three games

Jhye Richardson – 16 wickets at 12.50 from three games

Scott Boland – 15 wickets at 10.80 from two games

Sean Abbott – 11 wickets at 20.72 from two games

Michael Neser – 3 wickets at 37.33 from two games

Vodafone Men's Ashes v England

Tour Matches

Nov 23-25: England v England Lions, Brisbane

Nov 30 – Dec 3: England v England Lions, Brisbane

Dec 1-3: Australian intra-squad match, Brisbane

Dec 9-12: Australia A v England Lions, Brisbane

Tests

First Test: December 8-12, The Gabba

Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Perth Stadium