Australia's Starc set to miss Ashes

Australia bowler Mitchell Starc is set to miss the Ashes in Australia later this year because of a back injury.

England beat Australia 3-0 this summer and the return Test series starts on 21 November in Brisbane.

Starc, 23, has an early stage stress fracture of the lower back and Cricket Australia says he is "expected to be unavailable for a prolonged period".

Matches: 12 Wickets: 41 Average: 33.60 Debut: Australia v New Zealand, December 2011 Fellow bowler Jackson Bird also has a back problem but should be fit for the Ashes.

However, along with Starc, Australia also have fitness concerns over pacemen James Pattinson, Ryan Harris and Pat Cummins.

Pattinson, 23, was ruled out of the recent Ashes series after two Tests by a back injury, while 33-year-old Harris injured his hamstring in the fifth Test at The Oval.

Back trouble, including a stress fracture, has also been the problem for 20-year-old Cummins who has not managed another Test since his man-of-the-match debut in Johannesburg in 2011. He is also expected to miss the Ashes series down under.

Left-armer Starc played in three of the five Tests against England and was Australia's third highest wicket-taker, claiming 11 scalps at an average of 32.45.

"While it's a disappointing result for Mitch, we know he will bounce back," said Cricket Australia general manager Pat Howard.

"Starc, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins are all under 24 years of age and we are certainly well aware that until fast bowlers get into their mid-20s they are more susceptible to injury."

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England swept aside as Australia's Aaron Finch fires the highest international Twenty20 score in history

At some point there was bound to be an Australian backlash and it arrived on Thursday night in the substantial form of Aaron Finch, who blasted his way to the highest score in international Twenty20 cricket.

Finch, a one-day specialist, made 156 off 63 balls, striking 11 fours and an incredible 14 sixes in an onslaught that delivered Australia’s first victory of the year in any form of cricket.

England conceded the second highest score in Twenty20 internationals and the most sixes in an innings – 17 in total – as they were beaten by 39 runs.

Gone were the boos and moans of the Oval Test, with these two sides providing an entertaining match as a quick pitch perfectly suited to Twenty20 cricket yielded 458 runs, with England making a credible fist of an impossible run chase to record their second highest score in this format.

Even blood was spilt at one point with Joe Root top edging a pull off quick bowler Josh Hazelwood that became stuck in the grille of his helmet. Before protective headwear, he would have been left resembling Mike Gatting in 1986 after Malcolm Marshall, a man fondly remembered in these parts, rearranged his features.

But it was still a nasty blow that needed lengthy treatment and far more damaging than anything David Warner could manage in a Birmingham bar. Root’s Australian nemesis was quick with a word, but he should know Root is a tough competitor and he responded with his 90 not out in his first Twenty20 innings for England. Where Australia made 17 sixes, in reply England could only muster four and it was down to Root to prevent a full-scale rout.

“I’m gutted we lost the game but we have done OK today,” said captain Stuart Broad. “We’ve got a good group together with a bit of consistency. There is not a lot of cricket between now and the World Cup but we have a batting line-up that, in the last five games, have scored 200 twice.”

Finch could be held up as an example of Australian cricket’s muddled priorities. He is a Twenty20 specialist with a string of big money IPL deals, but a first-class batting average of just 29. However, it is not hard to see why Finch has a decent living on the go in Twenty20. Built as though he has spent as much time in the gym as the nets, he has immense power and many of his sixes flew several rows back into the crowd. “Every time you go out there in Twenty20 cricket you try and slog it and every now and then it comes off for you,” he said.

Finch looked likely to break Richard Levi’s record for the quickest Twenty20 international hundred when he reached the 90s off only 36 balls. But he moved from 91 to 99 in singles before becoming the first Australian to make a Twenty20 international hundred, reaching the landmark off 47 balls, two slower than Levi.

His next 50 came off only 13 balls, Danny Briggs was smashed for three sixes in four balls, and he scored at such an eye-catching rate that Shane Watson raced to 37 off 16 balls almost unnoticed. Watson played some of the best shots of the innings, hitting powerfully down the ground in making 37 and adding 101 for the third wicket off 41 balls. Jade Dernbach, whose three for 34 were respectable given the overall carnage, bowled Finch off the inside edge as the Australian innings lost its fizz in the final few overs.

England were never really in the hunt and at one point slumped to 42 for four when Eoin Morgan was caught at extra-cover. But Root and Ravi Bopara provided a fightback, adding 95 for the fifth wicket and nudging the rate up to nine an over at one point. They were just one run behind Australia’s score at the 11-over mark but needed a daunting 15-an-over for victory.

It looked all over when Bopara trudged off thinking he had been run out by a direct throw from Warner on 31. Bopara was almost back in the dugout when it was decided by the third umpire that the bails had not been dislodged from the grooves of the stumps before the batsman had made his ground. It made little difference as he soon top edged a pull.

Australia gave England their first look at leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed and, despite conceding 43 off his four overs, he did turn the ball when he gave it some flight.

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England swept aside as Australia's Aaron Finch fires the highest international Twenty20 score in history

At some point there was bound to be an Australian backlash and it arrived on Thursday night in the substantial form of Aaron Finch, who blasted his way to the highest score in international Twenty20 cricket.

Finch, a one-day specialist, made 156 off 63 balls, striking 11 fours and an incredible 14 sixes in an onslaught that delivered Australia’s first victory of the year in any form of cricket.

England conceded the second highest score in Twenty20 internationals and the most sixes in an innings – 17 in total – as they were beaten by 39 runs.

Gone were the boos and moans of the Oval Test, with these two sides providing an entertaining match as a quick pitch perfectly suited to Twenty20 cricket yielded 458 runs, with England making a credible fist of an impossible run chase to record their second highest score in this format.

Even blood was spilt at one point with Joe Root top edging a pull off quick bowler Josh Hazelwood that became stuck in the grille of his helmet. Before protective headwear, he would have been left resembling Mike Gatting in 1986 after Malcolm Marshall, a man fondly remembered in these parts, rearranged his features.

But it was still a nasty blow that needed lengthy treatment and far more damaging than anything David Warner could manage in a Birmingham bar. Root’s Australian nemesis was quick with a word, but he should know Root is a tough competitor and he responded with his 90 not out in his first Twenty20 innings for England. Where Australia made 17 sixes, in reply England could only muster four and it was down to Root to prevent a full-scale rout.

“I’m gutted we lost the game but we have done OK today,” said captain Stuart Broad. “We’ve got a good group together with a bit of consistency. There is not a lot of cricket between now and the World Cup but we have a batting line-up that, in the last five games, have scored 200 twice.”

Finch could be held up as an example of Australian cricket’s muddled priorities. He is a Twenty20 specialist with a string of big money IPL deals, but a first-class batting average of just 29. However, it is not hard to see why Finch has a decent living on the go in Twenty20. Built as though he has spent as much time in the gym as the nets, he has immense power and many of his sixes flew several rows back into the crowd. “Every time you go out there in Twenty20 cricket you try and slog it and every now and then it comes off for you,” he said.

Finch looked likely to break Richard Levi’s record for the quickest Twenty20 international hundred when he reached the 90s off only 36 balls. But he moved from 91 to 99 in singles before becoming the first Australian to make a Twenty20 international hundred, reaching the landmark off 47 balls, two slower than Levi.

His next 50 came off only 13 balls, Danny Briggs was smashed for three sixes in four balls, and he scored at such an eye-catching rate that Shane Watson raced to 37 off 16 balls almost unnoticed. Watson played some of the best shots of the innings, hitting powerfully down the ground in making 37 and adding 101 for the third wicket off 41 balls. Jade Dernbach, whose three for 34 were respectable given the overall carnage, bowled Finch off the inside edge as the Australian innings lost its fizz in the final few overs.

England were never really in the hunt and at one point slumped to 42 for four when Eoin Morgan was caught at extra-cover. But Root and Ravi Bopara provided a fightback, adding 95 for the fifth wicket and nudging the rate up to nine an over at one point. They were just one run behind Australia’s score at the 11-over mark but needed a daunting 15-an-over for victory.

It looked all over when Bopara trudged off thinking he had been run out by a direct throw from Warner on 31. Bopara was almost back in the dugout when it was decided by the third umpire that the bails had not been dislodged from the grooves of the stumps before the batsman had made his ground. It made little difference as he soon top edged a pull.

Australia gave England their first look at leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed and, despite conceding 43 off his four overs, he did turn the ball when he gave it some flight.

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England v Australia: Stuart Broad confident of prolonging Australia's 200-day losing streak

"It's up to us to continue that form and that responsibility falls on these players. It's an exciting responsibility."

Broad leads a much-changed team from the Test series with only Joe Root and Steven Finn having also played in the Ashes.

Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry could make an England return on his home ground for the first time since winning his only international cap in the Test arena against Bangladesh three years ago.

Carberry was the second-highest runscorer in this season's Friends Life t20 but faces a tough task to break up the opening partnership of Alex Hales and Michael Lumb.

And with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Jo Buttler behind them Broad thinks England's batsmen can overpower the seventh-ranked Australians.

"It's an exciting line-up and there are some powerful players," he said.

"It's great as a captain to know you have that firepower in the side.

"We'll be better the more we play together and getting experience and dovetail. You watch some of the partnerships that Alex Hales and Lumb have had and the way Morgs strikes it and the way Jos has finished games; there's a real belief in that changing room that we can set a huge target or chase a huge target down.

"That's a good place to be as a Twenty20 side and it's great for English cricket to have so many exciting Twenty20 talents."

Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey denied his side's barren run was playing on their minds, as they look to exact a measure of revenge for the Ashes.

"They say winning is a habit and I tend to agree with that," he said.

"Stating the obvious but you don't go out and try and win any more.

"There were none of those games since February where we thought we've won one recently so we won't try and win this one.

"I think that is more fodder for you guys than for us to deal with.

"It's pretty blatant what we want to do. We plan to win. It's the same regardless of what has happened in the past."

Edited by Thom Gibbs

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England v Australia: Stuart Broad confident of prolonging Australia's 200-day losing streak

"It's up to us to continue that form and that responsibility falls on these players. It's an exciting responsibility."

Broad leads a much-changed team from the Test series with only Joe Root and Steven Finn having also played in the Ashes.

Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry could make an England return on his home ground for the first time since winning his only international cap in the Test arena against Bangladesh three years ago.

Carberry was the second-highest runscorer in this season's Friends Life t20 but faces a tough task to break up the opening partnership of Alex Hales and Michael Lumb.

And with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Jo Buttler behind them Broad thinks England's batsmen can overpower the seventh-ranked Australians.

"It's an exciting line-up and there are some powerful players," he said.

"It's great as a captain to know you have that firepower in the side.

"We'll be better the more we play together and getting experience and dovetail. You watch some of the partnerships that Alex Hales and Lumb have had and the way Morgs strikes it and the way Jos has finished games; there's a real belief in that changing room that we can set a huge target or chase a huge target down.

"That's a good place to be as a Twenty20 side and it's great for English cricket to have so many exciting Twenty20 talents."

Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey denied his side's barren run was playing on their minds, as they look to exact a measure of revenge for the Ashes.

"They say winning is a habit and I tend to agree with that," he said.

"Stating the obvious but you don't go out and try and win any more.

"There were none of those games since February where we thought we've won one recently so we won't try and win this one.

"I think that is more fodder for you guys than for us to deal with.

"It's pretty blatant what we want to do. We plan to win. It's the same regardless of what has happened in the past."

Edited by Thom Gibbs

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Ashes 2013: Australia's injured paceman James Pattinson wishes he'd had longer rest between innings

Pattinson will return to Australia next week after sustaining a stress fracture in his lower back bowling in the second Test. He felt the lack of rest between innings was a contributory factor.

“When you go out doing what you do it’s hard on the body and in an ideal world you’d like a bit more rest than that. It’s far from ideal,” Pattinson said. “It could have been worse, but it’s pretty shattering when something you’ve worked so hard for is taken away. It’s a hard road.”

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Ashes 2013: hapless Phil Hughes highlights Australia's failings

How does someone such as Hughes come to be occupying the spot once filled by Mark Waugh and Greg Chappell? Is this a cyclical low, or is it a terminal decline?

Is it wrong to mock the afflicted? If there simply are not half a dozen players in that entire country who can play like Test batsmen, what does that mean for Australian cricket? For Test cricket?

Will there still be an Ashes in a generation’s time? Will it have to be replaced by a Twenty20 extravaganza? Or just settled the old-fashioned way, out on the cobbles of Twitter? Hughes will walk off now, Michael Clarke next; why is he hiding himself at five? Shouldn’t he be coming out to avert a crisis rather than into the teeth of it?

After enjoying a quietly encouraging day one, can his young side ever recover now they are routed? For England, is this unfolding mismatch delicious payback for years of humiliation? Or do we want to see a close contest?

The crowd’s cheering subsides abruptly. Hughes has a question of his own: was that really out? He wants a review. The moment is punctured.

Time is suspended while third umpire Tony Hill checks umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s homework. Thermal imaging readers, supersensitive microphones, high resolution close-up cameras, voodoo are all employed. Hughes, and all of us, stand in limbo.

Eventually the verdict is reached, although for those in the ground it is not clear exactly how and why. Even for those watching on TV, the evidence is far from immediately conclusive.

Now the moment of sporting drama, the question of a man’s career, a team’s position, a cricketing culture’s future are all subsumed by a new set of procedural, prosaic questions.

Was it a no ball? How grumpily will Sir Ian say “move on”? Is that a mark on Hot Spot? Or is that from the bat clipping the pad? Does the close-up show a deviation?

What does the stump mic say? What can the Sky boffins see or hear that we cannot? Why does the Snicko thing take so long to set up? Is the decision correct? Is there enough evidence to overturn it?

Do you ever hear the word “howler” in any other context these days?

Was the batsman justified in asking for the review? And it is the same questions every time, every few minutes, several times a day.

Slaves now to the technology that was supposed to improve the game, we debate the use and misuse of the DRS where once we talked of cricket.

It is not worth a five per cent increase in decision-making accuracy.

Sport is not about justice, it is about skill, heart, fallibility and drama. Constant reviewing of so many wickets is robbing Test cricket of its most painful, poignant act: the guillotining of a player’s participation in the piece.

They say, “We have the technology so we should use it”. No. It is like a mobile phone going off during Hamlet’s dying speech. Again and again and again.

The Ashes tickets are available to buy via Telegraph Tickets.

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Ashes 2013: James Pattinson ruled out of remaining Tests against England as Australia's problems mount

Pattinson suffered the injury bowling on the first day of the Lord’s Test and throughout the match lacked the potency he showed at Trent Bridge. He took two for 137 at Lord’s and his biggest impression on tour has been with the bat.

He tops the batting averages after almost taking Australia to victory at Trent Bridge in a last-wicket stand with Brad Haddin and on Sunday defied England for two hours as they chased victory.

“We had some scans done today in London that have identified an early stage low back stress fracture,” said Peter Brukner, the Australia team doctor.

“Unfortunately he will not take any further part in this Test series and will commence a rehabilitation programme with the aim to have him back for the Australian summer.”

Lehmann sympathised with the workload of his bowlers, who are also having to dig their side out of trouble with the bat. “I have played this game and felt sorry for the bowlers – they only got 3½ hours off. The bottom order needs a rest before they go and bat,” he said.

Pattinson’s injury is also a reminder of the fragile health of the current crop of young fast bowlers. Cummins has been out since the new year, Pattinson broke down with injury four times last year and Ryan Harris played his first Test at Lord’s since April 2012 due to a string of fitness problems.

Australia have options in their 18-man squad. Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and James Faulkner will all play this week against Sussex at Hove in a three-day match starting on Friday with places to be snaffled in the third Test. Nathan Lyon, the off-spinner, will also play against Sussex.

Despite the Lord’s hammering Lehmann insisted morale is good and “out of 10 I would say eight out of 10”.

Morale may be high according to Lehmann but former players want to see improvements and Allan Border led the criticism yesterday as Australia digested the Lord’s hammering.

Border, the man who rebuilt Australian cricket in the 1980s, has said he would be embarrassed to be part of the current team who have a tail end outperforming the top order. Border, writing in an article published by the Cricket Australia website, hit out at the current generation which has now lost six Tests in a row and finds itself 2-0 down to England, the first time an Australia side has been in that position since 1890.

“Watching today I could honestly say the nine, 10 and jack [No?11] looked more competent than our one, two and three. If that was me in the top three I’d be embarrassed,” he wrote after the defeat at Lord’s.

Border took over the captaincy of Australia in 1984 when Kim Hughes resigned in tears after losing six Tests in a row. He initially lost two Ashes series but instilled a hard work ethic in a new generation of young players winning the World Cup in 1987, beating England in the final, before regaining the Ashes in stunning style in 1989.

He earmarked young players such as Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, and stuck by them when they struggled at first. “We need to settle on our best XI and stay with it. I’m a believer in the pick-and-stick method, so we need to find our best XI that’s suited to the conditions,” he said.

Border singled out Shane Watson for his failure to learn from his consistent lbw dismissals.

“We all know what a wonderful player Shane Watson is,” Border said. “He looks like a million bucks when he’s firing. What is worrying though is that he keeps getting out in the same fashion. Now who is to blame here? Is it Watson for not adapting? What about the coaches?

"In an era where we’ve got a thousand coaches and psychoanalysts and dietitians and sport scientists it defies belief that a player can be making the same mistakes. Whether it is a technical thing or a mental thing, I don’t know. Is Shane not listening, or are people saying, ‘Bad luck, you got a good one’?

“Whatever it is, we need to find out soon or Shane’s time will have come and gone and we won’t have seen the best of him. The buck stops with Shane and he needs to figure it out quickly because it will be a real shame if he doesn’t fulfil his potential.”

Watson took a leg-side guard in the second innings at Lord’s to try to solve the problem, a tactic that did not work.

Lehmann said: “I actually think it was a pretty good ball to be fair from Anderson. It nipped off a length and cut back. The first innings he played across his pad but this innings I thought he played pretty well. We would love him to make big runs as everyone would but he is just one of the top seven who has to do it.”

Lehmann said of his team to play against Sussex: “Ashton is a bit sore and I don’t think he will play in Sussex so Nathan Lyon will play obviously.

“Then we just have to look at the wicket [at Old Trafford] because history shows it spins a bit. If it’s going to spin we will certainly have a look at two spinners. Matthew Wade will play in the tour match too.”

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