Richardson’s joy continues pain for Australia’s nearly man Neser

Pat Cummins declared Ashes debutant Jhye Richardson ready for the cauldron of Test cricket’s oldest rivalry after the West Australian’s return to the baggy green continued the anguish for one of the country’s unluckiest players.

After almost three years out of the Test side, Richardson has the formidable task of filling Josh Hazlewood’s giant-sized boots as Australia push for a 2-0 series lead in Adelaide.

The recall of the Perth rocket continues Australian cricket’s love affair with express pace though in Richardson’s case, as with the mainstay quicks, there is more to his game than the numbers spat out by a speed gun.

One of the few bowlers in the country armed with a genuine outswinger, Richardson also brings with him a bouncer which hurries on to batters.

At first glance, the 178 cm Richardson may not seem a like-for-like replacement for Hazlewood but he has similar traits to the esteemed fast bowler he is replacing with his ability to dry the scoring during long spells and attack when required.

“The biggest difference is the stature – slightly shorter and a bit skiddier compared to Josh’s tall bounce, but he’s really skilled, can swing the ball both ways,” Cummins said.

Jhye Richardson has been picked for his Ashes debut in Adelaide.Credit:Getty Images

“He can nip the ball, he’s a bit faster than you think, can be around that 140 (km/h) mark. He’s really consistent.

“In Shield cricket he’s bowled 20 overs for 20 runs a few times. He’s more than ready to go. Joshy’s a big void to fill, but we feel really confident that Jhye’s going to step straight in.”

Cummins has short-changed Richardson a few kilometres. When Cricket Australia trialled a speed gun in a Sheffield Shield game four years ago, Richardson had senior trio Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc covered for pace, clocking 148 km/h in a fiery spell to Steve Smith.

Richardson has since undergone multiple operations on his right shoulder after dislocating the joint in 2019 and missing that year’s World Cup and Ashes campaigns. It took Richardson 12 months to return to international cricket and another summer on top of that to become a force again at Shield level.

Cummins, too, is no stranger to long-term injuries though, as he pointed out, back injuries are more prevalent than dislocated shoulders, and he had numerous case studies to be confident he would return in better shape.

“With the shoulder injuries, it’s less common, you feel like you never get quite as strong or when you were back previously,” Cummins said.

“He looks not to be only as good as the bowler he was a few years ago, I think he’s better. He’s got more control, still got all the skills.”

Queensland seamer Michael Neser has again missed out on Test selection.Credit:AAP

Richardson has leapfrogged perennial drinks waiter Michael Neser, who has now been a squad member for the past 16 Tests, including this, plus the postponed three-Test tour of South Africa, without breaking through for a debut.

If Hazlewood does not return for Boxing Day, Neser will again be in the frame though with pink-ball Tests generally favouring the seamers there may not be a great need for change in Melbourne.

Just as there was a long list of star Shield batters in the 1990s and 2000s who never played Test cricket due to Australia’s rich batting depth, Neser risks being today’s equivalent of a bowler who has the misfortune of being born in the wrong era.

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