{"id":371291,"date":"2025-12-25T16:40:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T16:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/371291\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T16:40:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T16:40:09","slug":"pace-aces-to-spearhead-australias-boxing-day-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/371291\/","title":{"rendered":"Pace aces to spearhead Australia’s Boxing Day Test"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pace ace Jhye Richardson is set to play his first Test in more than four years as Australia look to hit England with a barrage of pace.<\/p>\n

With up to 10mm grass on the pitch, Australia have boldly chosen to go without a frontline spinner in a MCG Test for the first time in more than 40 years as they attempt a 5-0 Ashes whitewash.<\/p>\n

After being called into the squad to replace the injured Nathan Lyon, Victorian offspinner Todd Murphy’s wait to play his first Test in Australia continues.<\/p>\n

At his Christmas Day press conference, stand-in captain Steve Smith – who returns following his struggles with vertigo symptoms – confirmed Murphy had missed out.<\/p>\n

Smith took the unusual step of confirming a 12-man squad, instead waiting until the toss on Friday to name the XI.<\/p>\n

“(The pitch) has 10mm of grass, quite furry, quite green,” Smith said.<\/p>\n

“I dare say it’s going to offer quite a bit, particular (day one) is similar conditions to (Thursday), quite cold and overcast so I dare say there’s going to be quite a bit of movement.”<\/p>\n

\"Smith<\/p>\n

Smith (2-l) and coach Andrew McDonald (r) get the inside word on the MCG wicket. (Con Chronis\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

Quicks Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser, who played in the second Test win in Brisbane, are in contention to return.<\/p>\n

The former Queensland teammates are battling it out with Western Australian Richardson for the remaining bowling spot.<\/p>\n

Richardson last played for Australia in December 2021 when he starred with five wickets in a 275-run win against England in Adelaide.<\/p>\n

If Australia are after some spin during this Test they will need to turn to Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne.<\/p>\n

Since the Boxing Day Test became a regular fixture of the summer, Australia have always picked a frontline spinner at the MCG.<\/p>\n

\"Head\"<\/p>\n

Travis Head (pic) may be needed to bowl some spin along with Marnus Labuschagne. (Con Chronis\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

The closest they came to not picking one was in a heavy loss to England in 2010 when they chose Steve Smith, who was beginning his career more as a legspinner than a star batter.<\/p>\n

But Smith still bowled 18 overs in England’s only innings of the Test.<\/p>\n

After retaining the Ashes in only 11 days, Australia will look to continue England’s tour of misery by completing a 5-0 whitewash for the first time since 2013-14.<\/p>\n

Jofra Archer, a rare highlight for England during this series, will miss the Melbourne and Sydney Tests with a side strain.<\/p>\n

Out-of-form England No.3 Ollie Pope has been dropped, replaced by promising youngster Jacob Bethell.<\/p>\n

England are reeling following confirmation their drinking habits during a trip to Noosa after the Brisbane Test would be investigated.<\/p>\n

\"England<\/p>\n

England players and management pass a football around at the MCG. (Con Chronis\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

The tourists have not won a Test in Australia since January 2011, having lost 16 and drawn two in the 15 years since.<\/p>\n

AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (capt), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pace ace Jhye Richardson is set to play his first Test in more than four years as Australia…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":371292,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,53166,60153,124996,44,35235,44867],"class_list":["post-371291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-boxing-day-test","tag-jhye-richardson","tag-michael-neser","tag-news","tag-steve-smith","tag-travis-head"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}