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Who'd want to be an Aussie selector at the moment ?
On the one hand, there's not a big problem. Gillespie out, Lee in. Lee was expensive (124 from 30 overs) but took 5 wickets in his second comeback game.
That gives us a Boxing Day Test attack of Lee, Williams, Bichel and MacGill.
OK. Suppose they want a new face. Let's look at the other contenders.
Bracken. Bowled much tighter than Lee against Tassie (33 overs for only 58 runs) but took juust one wicket.
Noffke. Took 4/48 from 22 overs and didn't do his cause any harm with an 81 n.o. at #8.
Nicholson. Was very impressive in Hobart against the Indians with 4/25 from 21.5 overs including 13 maidens.
Kasprowicz. Took 2/41 from 18.2 overs but would be a big surprise.
I suppose Tait would be some sort of outside chance if he crashed through the Indians tomorrow afternoon after his 3/85 from 20 in the first innings.
MATT NICHOLSON played himself into Test calculations with a run-choking display against India in the cricket tour match at Hobart's Bellerive Oval today.
Nicholson emerged as front-runner to join Brett Lee in a revamped Australian bowling line-up for the Boxing Day Test when he took 4-25 from 21.5 overs of pace and control as India were bowled out for 245 in reply to Australia A's 5(dec)-311.
In reply, at stumps, Australia A were 3-57 with Michael Clarke on 22 and Brad Hodge on 11.
Australia A lead by 123 overall.
Australia, with Glenn McGrath injured, has missed a bowler who can mount pressure by restricting scoring and Nicholson's ability to strangle the batsmen cannot be overlooked when the team for the third Test is named on Monday.
MATTHEW NICHOLSON is bounding towards a Boxing Day recall to the Test squad, but it may take a radical reshaping of the underperforming attack to have the fast bowler playing in the third Test at the MCG.
The national selectors are delighted with the way Nicholson has been reborn since returning from Western Australia to NSW.
A strong performance for Australia A against India over the weekend has enhanced his cause. Nicholson, who went into the tour match with 19 Pura Cup wickets, claimed 4-25 from 21.5 overs with 13 maidens on Saturday.
However, with Brad Williams declared fit yesterday after damaging his left shoulder while fielding in the second Test last week, competition for places remains tight.
With Brett Lee expected to be a straight swap for the injured Jason Gillespie after taking five wickets for NSW in the Tasmanian first innings over the weekend, Nicholson's only chance appears to be to replace one of Williams, Andy Bichel or Nathan Bracken.
With Bichel the most successful bowler in Adelaide and Williams bowling well without luck despite his shoulder problem, 12th man Bracken may be pushed out of the squad.
Bracken claimed only one first-innings wicket against Tasmania and the four-man selection panel had began their hook-up before NSW started bowling again yesterday afternoon.
Even if Nicholson replaces Bracken in the XII, there is every likelihood he would end up carrying the drinks unless Stuart MacGill is left out and Australia make the rare and dangerous decision to play a four-man pace attack.
This would be particularly awkward given they would all be right-arm fast bowlers, offering little variety. It would also leave the barely developed left-arm twirlers of Simon Katich as Australia's only spin option.
While some of Melbourne's drop-in wickets for state matches have been slow and unresponsive, there is a hope that this will be a typically bouncy MCG Test pitch.
This has further encouraged the consideration of a bounce bowler like Nicholson in the hope that perhaps, with the added pace of Lee, the Australian quicks can start making the Indian batsmen jump around.
There has been little sign of this in the first two Tests, with India scoring more than 400 in difficult conditions during the washout at Brisbane's Gabba and making more than 500 in their first innings at Adelaide Oval before completing one of the great Test victories chasing 230 on the last day.
While he bowled well at times in Adelaide, MacGill has struggled to make an impact against the Indians in the same way that Shane Warne found their batsmen were the only players in the world he was unable to conquer.
It is always a risk to go into a five-day match without a spinner and it is a philosophy that has not been endorsed by captain Steve Waugh.
If anything, Waugh has preferred to play with five bowlers at times in an attempt to ensure victory, as Australia did in the West Indies this year.
It may be a course Australia are forced to pursue again given they are one down in the series and must win both remaining Tests to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they surrendered in such heart-breaking circumstances in 2001.
Given that wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist is rated seventh among the best batsmen in the world, with Matthew Hayden third and Ricky Ponting fourth, there is no reason why the potent left-hander could not move up to No.6.
Katich would be the batsman to miss out given he has only just resurrected his Test career, although the loss of his bowling would reduce the variety of the attack.
Nicholson may be the favourite for a recall, but Ashley Noffke made giant strides over the weekend, claiming 4-48 in Queensland's first innings against South Australia and then making an unbeaten hundred yesterday.
Possible Australian XII:
Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh (c), Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Brad Williams, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Nicholson (12th man to be named)
