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As Lance Morris made his way down the eastern side of the SCG practice nets on Monday, preparing to bowl for a potential baggy green against a handful of unlucky Australian top-order batsmen, Nathan Lyon announced the tearaway quick’s arrival to those in earshot.
“The Wild Thing … self-proclaimed,” Lyon said with a grin.
With little more than a wry smile, Morris continued chewing on his gum and walked towards the back of the nets where Australian skipper Pat Cummins and other coaches waited in anticipation.
Batsmen always say the worst bowler to face in the nets is the one wanting to prove a point.
But when there’s a potential Test debut on the table, for a 24-year-old fast bowler who has been clocked at over 150km/h, it’s a batter’s absolute nightmare.
“There’s quite a number of guys on my not-to-face list,” said Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. “And he’s at the top of the tree.”
Lance Morris bowls in the SCG nets on Monday ahead of the Sydney Test.Credit:James Brickwood
Travis Head drew the short straw and had to face up to Morris and also Cummins, who is likely to announce on Tuesday whether the West Australian with 59 first-class wickets at an average of 25.08 has done enough to squeeze into Australia’s XI for the third and final Test against South Africa at the SCG starting Wednesday.
After six warm-up balls, Morris bowled two dot balls before cutting Head in half a couple of times.
In front of a press pack of about two dozen, camera shutters clicked continuously as Morris sent down thunderbolt after thunderbolt on practice pitches with a green tinge.
While there might not have been as many wickets as he would have liked, the eye-catching pace was there for all to see.
“You can’t see the shine on it, can ya?” Morris asked Head after transferring the new ball from one hand to another just before letting it rip.
After nearly blowing Head’s front pad off – the ball was sliding down leg, they agreed – Morris got one to rear up and nearly crack into the left-hander’s ribs.
With coach and selector Andrew McDonald umpiring at the non-striker’s end, Marcus Harris, in the adjacent net, called out to Marnus Labuschagne.
“Want to face Cummins and Morris?” Harris said. “They probably want to bowl to a right-hander.”
That’s experience.
Labuschagne, who earlier in the day had a net session with Sydney batting guru Neil D’Costa at his academy in Hornsby, was back for more against the country’s hottest fast-bowling prospect.
Bang. Labuschagne creamed a cut shot – the most authoritative of the afternoon against Morris, who wasn’t leaving anything out in the nets.
“Has Lance got it swinging?” Harris quietly asked Labuschagne from the next net, four balls into his examination.
A shake of the head from Labuschagne soon came back to bite the world No.1 batsman as Morris beat him all ends up with a devilish leg-cutter.
Lance Morris steams in as Australian coach Andrew McDonald watches on.Credit:James Brickwood
“That’s backyard cricket stuff,” Labuschagne said under his breath, before finishing his net session looking in fine touch.
Matt Renshaw, who could be selected to bat in the middle order, was also made to work hard against Morris but there were no casualties.
Selectors certainly have a difficult decision ahead of them, with Australian great Glenn McGrath happy to sit on the fence when asked for his opinion on whether Morris should be given a baggy green in the final match of the summer.
“It’s going to be interesting isn’t it,” McGrath said. “I think the Australian public haven’t seen too much of Lance. He’s got some good pace.
David Warner at training on Monday.Credit:James Brickwood
“I think Josh Hazlewood, who hasn’t played the last few Tests, he’d be keen to come back as well. I haven’t had a look at the pitch. Australia’s up 2-0, they want to keep playing well. I guess that’s a question to ask the selectors.
“[If Morris debuts] just enjoy it. Get out there and just back yourself.”
It’s been 14 years since the first SCG Pink Test but even Andrew McDonald still feels a little uneasy at the sight of towering South African fast bowler Morne Morkel.
“I get shivers standing next to him,” McDonald, now the Australian head coach, told reporters on Monday at the SCG ahead of Wednesday’s third Test against the Proteas.
The Australian team pose for a photo with their pink caps on Monday at the SCG.Credit:James Brickwood
“I copped a bouncer barrage and lost my helmet courtesy of the man beside me.”
Morkel and McDonald were engaged in a fiery on-field battle in 2009 but were all smiles on a warm Sydney afternoon on Monday as they shared their experiences of playing in the first SCG Pink Test.
This week’s fixture marks the 15th Pink Test, with the McGrath Foundation setting an ambitious goal of selling 150,000 virtual seats at $20 each.
“It feels very special to be involved with the McGrath Foundation as part of the Australian cricket team,” McDonald said. “I think back to 2009, there was a little bit of the unknown. You turned up on that third day and saw grown men in pink suits and everyone embracing it. Making this a sea of pink is pretty special.”
After missing the last two SCG Tests, Australian great Glenn McGrath says this year’s match, with Jane McGrath Day set to take place on Friday, will be “one to remember”.
“It’s good to be back here,” McGrath said. “I’ve missed the last two pink Tests. I was in India doing a bit of work over there and the dreaded COVID got me last year. To be back here at my favourite ground in the world, preparing for the 15th Sydney Pink Test, is something special.”
Morkel said it was terrific to see the Pink Test embraced so much by touring teams.
“Just being involved in the Pink Test brings back the importance of how badly you want to perform on that stage,” Morkel said. “My memories were the guys all gearing up and running to go and buy pink grip cones for their bats and really taking part in it.”
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