Coulter-Nile determined to make opportunity count
Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile wants to make his call up to Australia's Test team count if he gets an opportunity to play in the first of three Tests against the West Indies, starting Hobart on Thursday.
With Mitchell Starc suffering a foot fracture in the third Test against New Zealand, Coulter-Nile was a surprise inclusion in the Aussies' Test squad as he has played no first-class cricket yet this season.
The Australia selectors however think that the Western Australia speedster fits the criteria that they looking for in their pacemen. He is tall and bowls regularly at 145kph.
Now that he is part of the squad, Courter-Nile is determined to make the most of his opportunity and not just be gap-filler until Starc returns from injury.
He is hoping to play with Peter Siddle, who himself made a stirring comeback into the Test side in the New Zealand series.
Coulter-Nile said: "Every Test is an opportunity. I mean, you take five-for in a Test it becomes very hard to drop you.
"That's why none of the boys want to give up their spot. You don't see Sidds going, 'Oh I've got a sore back I'm going to have a rest,' because you don't want to give the opportunity to the next bloke.
"I'm the same. If I get an opportunity I don't want to just feel like a gap-filler, I want to press my case to play the next Test and the one after that."
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