Aussie quicks were ‘underdone’: Healy

Ian Healy believes Australia’s pace attack were “underdone” in the third Ashes Test.

Australia were thumped by eight wickets at Edgbaston, England winning before tea on day three to take a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series.

The tourists’ biggest problems were with the bat, with captain Michael Clarke among many cheap wickets in a first-innings total of 136.

However, Clarke and coach Darren Lehmann also highlighted their inability to bowl consistently in both innings.

Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were rested from a tour match against Derbyshire, having skittled England for 103 in a rampaging 405-run at Lord’s.

Healy opined the potent pacemen should have instead been working in the nets, especially after two four-day Tests.

“They were underdone,” Healy told cricket.com.au.

“I don’t agree with the strength and conditioning people.

“These fellas haven’t got enough bowling under their belt and it showed in this Test.

“Under pressure, you need experience, you need form and you need rhythm, and they have had 10 days off.”

Realistically, Australia never had enough runs to play with in Birmingham.

Nonetheless, legendary paceman Glenn McGrath was disappointed with Starc and Hazlewood’s scattergun bowling.

McGrath suggested Peter Siddle could come into the XI for the fourth Test, which starts on Thursday in Nottingham.

“He would be reasonably effective on these wickets. He bowls better areas, is more consistent and has experience of playing at Trent Bridge,” McGrath wrote in his Telegraph column.

“At Edgbaston Australia went looking for wickets and tried to force it because they had posted such a low first innings score.

“On a pitch like that it is the worst thing to do.”

Pat Cummins, added to the 17-man Ashes squad when Ryan Harris retired on the eve of the series, could also be called up.

However, Cummins has only played one first-class game in the past two years.

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