Jackson Bird
SYDNEY _ Tasmanian fast bowler Jackson Bird has been rewarded for his impressive Boxing Day Test debut, included in a four-man Australian pace attack for the third Test against Sri Lanka starting in Sydney today.
The home team is so intent on crushing Sri Lanka into the SCG grass with the first genuine four-pronged pace attack seen in Sydney in almost half a century, that it has overlooked a chance Leg 1to plan ahead for next month's Test tour of India.
Mitchell Johnson put two Sri Lankan batsmen out of the series with his vicious short-pitched bowling in Melbourne last week.
And a quartet of quicks baying for more blood and a series clean sweep on a green-tinged Sydney wicket was deemed preferable over a chance to cast one eye on the upcoming Indian tour by Leg 2trialling spinning all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.
Maxwell will instead carry the drinks, with Mitchell Starc back in the squad, Sydney-bred Bird and Peter Siddle to round out the bowling arsenal alongside spinner Nathan Lyon.