Ashes 2017-18: Coaches Lehmann and Bayliss make contrasting noise ahead of 1st Test

Australia coach Darren Lehmann defended the squad selection for the Ashes opener on Sunday and urged former players to back the team as they prepare to try and wrest the famous urn back from English hands.

Spin-bowling great Shane Warne was among the former players who questioned decision to include wicketkeeper Tim Paine, while the inclusion of veteran batsman Shaun Marsh also raised a few eyebrows.

Speaking in Brisbane, where the series gets underway at the Gabba on Thursday, Lehmann justified the selections and called for the whole country to support the team. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, aren’t they?” he said. “I’d just like all our players, ex-players, to be really positive about the Australian cricket team. Let’s just get everyone from Australia behind the Australian cricket team and let’s get moving forward.”

Paine, who played the last of his four tests seven years ago, was the most controversial selection mainly because he does not even keep wickets for his state Tasmania. “We’ve watched him keep a fair bit,” Lehmann added. “He’s a high quality keeper. He’s been in good form with the gloves, as he always has been, and he has been very good for us in the T20s.”

Few players …read more