Lehmann backs smashed quicks to improve

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Australia coach Darren Lehmann is convinced the fast bowlers he has at his disposal are capable of beating South Africa, despite being three-nil down in the five-match ODI series.

Daniel Worrall, Chris Tremain, and Joe Mennie have not had the best starts to their international careers, smashed to all corners by the Proteas, but Lehmann has defended their selections.

The Aussies are without all of their top strike bowlers, with Mitchell Starc injured, Josh Hazlewood rested, and the likes of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, and James Faulkner also crooked.

Lehmann said: “The only one that could possibly be here is Josh (Hazlewood) and he needs a break before the Test series.

“I think we worked out we’re taking pretty much seven of our first-choice one-day team out of the bowling attack, and when you go through that it’s some high-quality bowling.

“But it’s an opportunity for the young guys to learn, to learn quickly and learn what they need to do to step up in international cricket.

“At the moment we’re failing in that and they’ve got to get better. It’s something we have to rectify in the next two games.”

The coach continued: “We’ve got to find a way to get some early wickets and put some pressure back on South Africa and at the moment we’re not doing that.

“And we’re not doing the good things that we do in the nets and taking them out into the middle in front of a packed house.

“We’ve got a couple of days in PE (Port Elizabeth where the fourth game will be played on Sunday), but at the end of the day the blokes have trained really well and prepared well.

“And bowled really well in the nets, but international cricket is quite pressurised. They’ve just got to get used to that.”

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