Ricky Ponting is said to be thinking of replacing his lone specialist spinner, Nathan Hauritz with a medium pace bowler because of the pitch and the overhead conditions at Edgbaston for the third Ashes test match against England.
Already the groundsman at Edgbaston has said that it will be difficult job preparing the pitch because of the inclement weather, and that may play its part. The conditions have been soggy, and it is said that the teams will be lucky to get the full match in, but given these conditions, Ponting may want to get in another medium pace bowler into the side instead of playing Hauritz.
Ponting also said that they had researched that spinners do not do too well on that ground, and that was another reason for their apprehension in having Hauritz in. He said, “We have checked the stats for county games this season and spinners are averaging about 60 or 70 per wicket. The numbers aren’t compelling and with all this weather around, the curator claims it will be a typical English seamer”
He also said that Marcus North, Simon Katich and Michael Clarke could all roll their arm, and North had already shown that he could one end up at Lord’s when Hauritz had gone off the park with injuries. However, North has yet to pick up a wicket in this series.
Ponting said that he was sure he will not repeat the mistake he had made in the 2005 version of the Ashes, by inserting the opposition in if he won the toss.