Jhye Richardson, Australia bowler, World Cup 2019 Player Full Profile: With pace and ability to swing both ways, Richardson to partner Starc with new ball

As a teenager coming through the Perth cricketing system, Jhye Richardson was constantly told that he didn’t have the physique to cut it as a fast bowler. Standing at 178 centimetres, the young West Australian isn’t your tailor-made Australian fast bowler. He is not very tall, his shoulders aren’t broad like a vintage Australian fast bowler and he doesn’t rely on getting extra lift off the hard Australian surfaces. [caption id=“attachment_6346281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Jhye Richardson. Reuters[/caption] What Richardson does pose is a whippy action and a beautiful wrist position that enables him to swing the ball both ways. Add to that he still hurls the ball at 140 kmph and has already dismissed Virat Kohli four times in 12 innings in ODI cricket. Richardson is still raw in international cricket, but on the evidence of his 12 matches, it is clear that he has all the credentials to have a significant impact at the World Cup. The talented fast bowler has already taken 24 wickets at 26.33 with strike-rate of 27 and is a favourite to partner Starc with the new ball. A dislocated shoulder during the tour of Pakistan last month nearly derailed his prospects of playing at the mega event, but he is on track to be part of the five-prong Australian pace attack. One area of concern is that Richardson struggles with is the old ball. Once the Kookaburra loses its shine and the pitch is not offering any lateral movement, he can become a liability and leak runs. But Richardson has proved that he is a fast learner and don’t be surprised if he is one of the leading wicket-takers at the World Cup. For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here