Ashes: Murphy hints at Australia opting for all-pace attack in Sydney, says ‘there’s a bit of grass’ at SCG

Sydney: Australia off-spinner Todd Murphy admitted that, although his eyesight isn’t great, he could see the SCG pitch looked very green three days before the fifth Test, once again raising questions about the role of spinners in this Ashes series.

Murphy, 25, is in contention to play his first Test in Australia after featuring in seven matches overseas. However, there is no certainty he will be selected for Sydney, a ground usually friendly to spin, especially after he was left out of the Melbourne Test that ended in just two days.

According to the images surfacing, the SCG pitch, ahead of the fifth Ashes Test starting Sunday, is mostly green, increasing the chance Australia will again choose an all-pace bowling attack.

“I’ve only seen it from afar, and my eyes aren’t obviously amazing, so it’s hard to pick out exactly what it’ll be. But I suppose we’re three days out and there’s a bit of grass on it at the moment. I have no idea (what it will be like) as I haven’t looked at it closely yet,” Murphy told reporters at the SCG on Thursday.

Murphy is very familiar with the SCG, as it is the home ground of the Sydney Sixers, and he also played there for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield match in November, where fast bowlers dominated. The off-spinner bowled 12 overs in that game and knows that a ground once known for spin now favours pace bowlers.

“Maybe not recently, but I definitely think it can spin. We’ve played on some BBL wickets here where it has taken spin. I’ve only played a couple of Shield matches, and I don’t think it’s ever done anything extraordinary out there. I don’t think recently that it’s been a massive spin out here, but it’s still been a big part.

“Shield cricket over the last couple of years – which is what I’ve had the main experience in – has evolved a bit to be more seam-friendly as well. I think that comes from the importance of results in four-day cricket, and I don’t think spin breaks up enough in four days so they’ve probably gone down the path of trying to make it speed up at the start of the game.

“I still think that if you look across all games, spin still plays a massive part in games so there’s always a role for you to play. It might not be on day four where you’re bowling 30 overs of spin to bowl your team to victory, but it still feels like you’ve always got a part to play in the game,” he added.

Spin has had a limited impact in an Ashes series as spinners have taken only nine wickets. The green decks and bouncy conditions have raised concerns that spinners might not be necessary in Australia in the future, but Murphy, who could be the team’s primary spinner for the next decade, remains confident.

“I don’t think going into the series that there was ever a plan or an idea that spin wouldn’t play a role,” he replied when asked about the role of spinners this series. I think it’s just been how it’s eventuated. I still think there’s definitely a role to play for spin, and I think it will evolve from year to year, and next year it could be different. I still think it (spin) is important,” he concluded.

IANS