Tasmanian fast bowler Nathan Ellis is eager to capitalise on the absence of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in Australia's upcoming T20 matches against Scotland and England.
Ellis has always been aware of his position behind Australia’s top trio of fast bowlers: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. However, he's beginning to rethink his approach as he aims to secure a regular place in Australia’s white-ball squad.
The 29-year-old made a strong impression during his three appearances in the T20 World Cup last month, taking a wicket in each match, including two against Oman, and maintaining an economy rate of 6.72 despite bowling many of his overs at the death. Nonetheless, Ellis was not included in key matches against England, Bangladesh, and India, when Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood were available.
Ellis remarked that it was an honour to share the field with the ‘big three’ at his first World Cup, learning as much as he could from them to improve his own game. Yet, he is now determined to break into the pace attack full-time. His chance to prove himself will come in September when Cummins, as part of a load management strategy, will miss Australia’s entire white-ball tour of the UK. With Starc also absent for the T20 leg, Ellis will take on additional responsibility alongside Hazlewood.
Ellis acknowledged the challenge, saying, “These are guys that I’ve admired since I was a kid. Now, I want to compete and be part of that group—turning the big three into the big four. It’s an honour to play with them, and I’ve tried to learn from their preparations and methods.”
He admitted to entering the World Cup with a clear understanding of his place in the pecking order, given the long-standing contributions of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood to Australian cricket. However, he expressed a desire to shift this mentality and become a permanent fixture in the team.
Ellis emerged from a competitive field to secure the fourth fast bowling spot in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad. National men's selection chair George Bailey is enthusiastic about the future of Ellis and other rising fast bowlers, including Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett, who have also been named in the 14-man squad for six T20 internationals against Scotland and England in September.