Starc selection may lead to Marsh recall

Mitchell Starc's new-found sense of control and Australia's careful approach to managing their fast bowlers have the left-armer closing in on a Test recall.

But former Australian players have suggested Starc's inclusion could force other changes up the order, with lingering concerns over the left-armer's ability to keep England's batters tied down.

Starc claimed match figures of 7-85 in their tour-game win over second-division battlers Derbyshire, having bowled 26.4 overs with an economy of 3.19 runs per over.

The left-armer cleaned up the tail in Derby's first innings and took wickets at the top and tail of their second dig and it was his tight new-ball spells that caught the eye of captain Tim Paine, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood.

But the return of one Mitchell could lead to another, with allrounder Mitchell Marsh potentially required to give Australia a back-up bowling option with Starc's inclusion, says former Test quick Ryan Harris and ex-captain Mark Taylor.

There is a three-day break between the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests, almost certainly ensuring the attack will change. And the growing expectation is that selectors will also look to freshen up their pace battery in Manchester, where the fourth Test starts on Wednesday.

Hohns wouldn't be drawn on Starc's chances of returning in the high-stakes fourth Test but was full of praise for how the express paceman has improved his red-ball control since setting a record for most wickets at a single World Cup.

"From the start of the tour it was made very clear what was expected of our bowlers and where we wanted them to bowl," Hohns said.

"Mitchell has taken all that on board and he has worked very, very hard to improve his game in that area.

"We all know he is an aggressor, so we can't expect him to change the way he bowls too much."

Hazlewood, who was rested from the tour game, noted Starc "bowled really well with the new ball".

"The pace looked up there throughout the whole game. He looks fit and firing," he said.

Paine, speaking after day one of the tour game, highlighted Starc's control and the fact he demonstrated it in long spells.

"We know what Starcy can do in terms of blowing teams away. We also know that coming to England in the past, that hasn't worked," Paine said.

"The areas he has been trying to improve, so he can be important for us in English conditions, I thought he showed today he's going really well with that."

Former Test quick Harris, who now works as a high performance coach with Cricket Australia, said concerns over Starc's ability to build pressure may force the double change.

"If they play Starc, they'll probably need to play Marsh," Harris said on Macquarie Radio today.

"Starc's an attacking bowler but he can go for a few and they'll need that back-up, especially if the other guys aren't on song.

"When you're down a bowler that can't contain and build pressure it's a tough time in a Test match.

"The plan would be to play Marsh if Starc does play, to have that extra option."

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor said it was time for Australia to "roll the dice with Starc" for the fourth Test.

Taylor opted against including Marsh in his preferred fourth Test line-up, but said there was doubt Starc could contain England's batting.

"The reason (Marsh is in contention) is they're concerned about Starc because he's either none or a gutful," Taylor said on Nine's Sports Sunday.

"He either tends to be all over a batting side and taking wickets or he's going for five or six runs per over. If he goes for 5 or 6 an over they've only got Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon left, with no allrounder, so that's where Mitch Marsh comes into it.

"If they play him at six and they leave (Matthew) Wade or (Travis) Head out, they've got another bowling option.

"I don't think he'll play, but that's the reason there's talk about Mitchell, because they'll feel they need an allrounder to bowl extra overs in case Starc goes the journey."

Harris expected Wade to make way for Marsh's inclusion if selectors went down that route, with the wicketkeeper-batsman having hit 6, 1, 0 and 33 in his four knocks since a second-innings century in the opening Test at Edgbaston.

"(Marsh) has done a lot of work over the last 12 months on his batting – he's ready to go, put it that way," Harris said of Marsh, who hit 74 in the tour match.

"It would be Matty Wade to miss out and that'd be pretty stiff, but for team balance, they may have to go that way."

Hohns suggested the taxing nature of this five-Test series, squeezed into a tick over six weeks because of the World Cup, meant his selection panel had to manage fast bowlers with particular care.

"In the past we have generally used the same ones," Hohns said. "A lot of the Test matches in the past were spaced out a little more."

However, Pat Cummins has made it clear he wants to play all five Tests.

Hazlewood is also upbeat about backing up for the next two Tests despite the turnaround.

"The body's really good ... I can't see why not, unless we bowl a mountain of overs in the next game," the right-armer said.

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia won by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England won by one wicket at Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval