Shock call-up for Australia's little-known fastest bowler in the country for Adelaide pink ball Test
Australia has reportedly called up fast bowler Lance Morris as cover for injured captain Pat Cummins in a surprise move for the second Test against the West Indies in Adelaide.
With Cummins facing a race against the clock to be fit for Thursday's match, SEN reports Western Australia's Morris, who can regularly bowl over 150 km/h, has been added to the squad. He is considered the fastest bowler in Australia's first class ranks.
Scott Boland would be expected to play if Cummins is unfit, with Morris and pink ball specialist Michael Neser added as cover in case of any other injuries.
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Lance Morris has earned a surprise call-up for the second Test against the West Indies. Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Cummins didn't bowl in the second innings in Perth, and looked to be in some discomfort in the field. His absence from the bowling lineup also added to the workloads of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, which will be of concern given the short turnaround between matches, as well as the fact the Adelaide Test is followed almost immediately by three matches against South Africa.
The back-to-back matches raises the possibility either Starc or Hazlewood could be rested with an eye to the South African series, while medical staff would be expected to take a conservative approach with Cummins.
The 24-year-old Morris, nicknamed the 'Wild Thing' made his debut for Western Australia in 2020-21, and has taken 59 wickets in 18 first class matches at the impressive average of 25.08.
He's the leading wicket-taker in this year's Sheffield Shield competition, with 27 at 18.40.
Neser's sole Test to date came against England in Adelaide last summer, where he took 1-33 and 1-28 in Australia's big win.
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