The fast-bowling pair returned to the nets in Sydney on Tuesday as attention shifts to the second Ashes Test.
In a positive development for Australia, Josh Hazlewood hit the nets on Tuesday as he continues recovering from the hamstring injury that sidelined him for the opening Ashes Test in Perth.
Pat Cummins was also spotted training with a pink ball as he pushes for a return in the day-night Test at the Gabba, following his back injury.
Both bowlers trained at Cricket Central in Sydney, where New South Wales were playing their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania.
Hazlewood was working with a red ball, a strong hint that his comeback will not be in Brisbane. He is expected to be available for the Adelaide Test, which is a day game this year.
Speaking on Monday, Australia coach Andrew McDonald said he was confident Hazlewood would play a part in the Ashes.
“I know that he’ll be available at some point during the series,” he said. “We’ve got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he may plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series.”
Cummins has been steadily increasing his bowling loads over recent weeks and looked sharp in the nets before the first Test in Perth. Still, selectors must be convinced he can handle the workload of a full Test, especially with early signs suggesting matches in this Ashes may be short.
“It looked like a player that was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation,” McDonald said. “The intensity was there, the ball speed was there. There’s a lot of positives, but now it’s just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that we’re not putting him in harm’s way in terms of accelerating it too much.”
The early scheduling of the series works in Australia’s favour, with a generous 11-day break between the first and second Tests after Perth wrapped up in just two days. However, from Adelaide onward, things tighten up: only four days separate the Adelaide Test from Boxing Day in Melbourne, and the same again between Melbourne and Sydney, assuming matches go to day five.
With the pink-ball factor in Brisbane, the Gabba Test could also be a short, fast one. In the current Sheffield Shield round, ten wickets fell in the night session of day three between Queensland and Victoria, speeding the match toward a result.
Xavier Bartlett starred in that game, taking 4 for 35 in the second innings and hitting a career-best 72. Australia may not need extra pace options if Cummins and Hazlewood return, but Bartlett’s rise in white-ball cricket may have strengthened his case.
Michael Neser, who was Australia’s reserve fast bowler in Perth, will also be in contention — particularly with the Gabba being his home ground. Both of his previous Tests were pink-ball matches in Adelaide, against England (2021-22) and West Indies (2022-23).
Selectors have also kept an eye on Jhye Richardson, hoping he may be available later in the series after recovering from shoulder surgery earlier this year.
He trained with the Test squad in Perth before bowling 20 wicketless overs for the Cricket Australia XI against England Lions at Lilac Hill. He is set to feature for Australia A against the Lions in Brisbane next week.
“This game was a lot about physical preparation for me and making sure that we can get through,” Richardson said after the CA XI match. “I’m sure there would have been a few people seeing a bit of ice on it after the bowling but that’s basically just maintenance. The shoulder’s feeling really good and it’s feeling better and better each bowl.
“It’s a decent hit out, the most overs I’ve bowled in a while and it’s all part of the process to building up to be ready for four and five-day cricket.”
