Nathan faces tough task to get spot in Aussie team

SHARJAH: Australia fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile knows of one sure way to get himself in the squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 — taking wickets.

Coulter-Nile will have a chance to do that when the first of five One-Day Internationals begins in Sharjah on Friday.

There is intense competition for the fast-bowling spots in the Australia squad — Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, along with Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson and Jason Behrendorff are all vying for them.

Coulter-Nile, however, isn’t too fussed about it. “The World Cup is always going to be spoken about. It’s around the corner, people are vying for selection,” he said on Wednesday.

“To get picked, you have to perform. So that’s the easy way to do — go out and perform. You don’t need to worry about if you’re getting picked or not if you’re taking wickets. It’s only when you’re not taking wickets or you’re not making runs that you worry about it.”

The 31-year-old also stressed that there was no rivalry between the fast bowlers and that the team came first. “Everyone’s performing, that’s why we’re winning. But even when someone has a bad day, they’re really supportive of other blokes who have had a good day,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to see. I don’t think it’s a conscious effort that anyone makes. Just think it’s good mates supporting each other. I don’t think anybody goes out there thinking, ‘I’m not going to worry about selection’. It’s just the way everyone is, they’re all just good people.”

Coulter-Nile has had an intense few weeks. He’s impressed since returning to the Australian set-up for the trip to India. Before the tour, he had voiced frustration at “mixed messages” from the selectors.