Cricket: Tait and Kasprowicz fail to impress selectors

Shaun Tait and Michael Kasprowicz did little to ease the dilemma facing Australia's selectors yesterday as the tourists completed their preparations for the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

With Jason Gillespie now looking certain to be dropped, Australia's two-day match against Northamptonshire gave Tait and Kasprowicz the ideal stage on which to push their case for selection.

The pair shared three wickets but neither looked particularly convincing in a game which lacked intensity and bore no resemblance to that which will take place on Thursday. After bowling Northamptonshire out for 169 Australia chose to use the remainder of the game for batting practice. Justin Langer, Simon Katich and Damien Martyn made the most of the opportunity, spending useful time at the crease.

Tait was fast and hostile. His pace proved too much for Usman Afzaal and David Sales, Northamptonshire's most experienced batsmen, and Tim Roberts, who was forced to leave the field with his whites covered in blood after being hit on the head by a bouncer. But he was also erratic, conceding almost four runs an over against a limited batting line-up.

Roberts had five stitches in a nasty gash over his left eye and failed to take any further part in the game. He was not the only Northamptonshire player to be escorted off the field by a physiotherapist. Ben Phillips also had two stitches to a head wound after being struck by Glenn McGrath.

Phillips returned to bat, and to some extent had the last laugh when a full-blooded straight drive hit Tait on the left knee as he followed through. The ball ricocheted to extra cover, and while Tait lay poleaxed on the floor Martyn ran the distracted Monty Panesar out via a throw to the wicketkeeper.

Errol Alcott, the Australian physiotherapist, ran out to enquire about the welfare of the fast bowler, but his laughing team-mates seemed unconcerned. After a couple of minutes treatment Tait was dragged to his feet by McGrath and walked back to the dressing-room.

An injury to Tait would have assured Kasprowicz of his place in the fourth Test, but the fast bowler will now have to wait nervously for the selectors' verdict. Kasprowicz, whose batting nearly took Australia to an unexpected victory at Edgbaston, will be desperate to play. He is one of the most honest and likeable cricketers around and he will want to amend what took place in the second Test.

If Australia want to be conservative, Kasprowicz will play. He has taken 58 wickets at an average of 26.7 in his last 17 Test matches, and yesterday he put in a nine-over spell which conceded only 22 runs.

Kasprowicz's bowling does not have the cutting edge of Tait's, so the decision of selectors will give a good indication of Australia's mindset.

* Scores

Australia 374-6 dec & 226-2
Northamptonshire 169
Match drawn.

- INDEPENDENT