Richardson makes Test comeback as Australia sent in – cricket.com.au

Australia have revealed the make-up of their four-man pace attack for the Boxing Day Ashes Test
Jhye Richardson will play his first Test in four years after the injury-plagued speedster earnt a recall alongside Michael Neser for the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
A heaving MCG was bracing for an Ashes record crowd as England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and inserted the Aussies in ideal first-day bowling conditions. Both sides warmed up in jumpers on an overcast morning as a chilly wind swirled around the stadium.
Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland
 
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue
“There’s a nice coverage of grass on it so we think it’s going to be quite hard work with that early ball this morning,” Stokes said at the toss.
Brendan Doggett, who took seven wickets in the first two Tests of the series, was the home side’s unfortunate omission from the XII fill-in skipper Steve Smith named on match eve.
Smith conceded it had been a “tricky” call to leave out Doggett and admitted he did not want his side to be batting this morning.
“Bit of grass on the wicket, we’re playing four quicks so yeah I would have bowled,” said 36-year-old who is fit again after missing the Adelaide Test with an inner-ear issue.
“Batters are going to have be on their game. We’ve got a nice squad of bowlers, so looking forward to seeing how they go.”
With regular captain Pat Cummins put on ice due to back stress injury, Neser demanded inclusion having taken a five-for at the Gabba.
Doggett has then been edged out by Richardson, who last played a Test during the 2021-22 Ashes but has been troubled by injury issues in the intervening years. He underwent a third round of surgery on his right shoulder in January as Australia looked to get him right for this series.
He has played two first-class games in the past month, sending down 20 overs and then 26 overs in back-to-back tour matches against the England Lions. While that his primed him from a bowling perspective, his ability to throw remains severely limited and Australia will need to carefully monitor where he is stationed.
The green-tinged surface described by Smith as “furry” prompted Australia to go in without a specialist spinner.
Todd Murphy had been called into the squad to replace Nathan Lyon, who suffered a severe hamstring injury in Adelaide last week, but was overlooked in favour of an all-pace attack.
It is the first time Australia have gone into a Boxing Day Test without a specialist spinner since 2010.
England named their XI two days out from this match, dropping Ollie Pope for Jacob Bethell, while Gus Atkinson has returned to replace Jofra Archer, who has suffered a tour-ending side strain.
Officials are hoping to top the first-day 2013-14 Boxing Day Test crowd of 91,092, which remains an Ashes record.
“When you get out there and experience this, it’ll be that first five minutes that are the probably the toughest,” said Stokes.
“Then when you get out there and you realise you’re just out there playing a game of cricket, all those nerves will go away
“We’re lucky to be able to participate in such a big sporting event like this.”
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Third Test: Australia won by 82 runs
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (fourth Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue
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