Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris believes critics of left-arm spinner Michael Beer are wrong and the West Australian deserves to be part of the country’s Test squad.
Beer, who has still only played one Test after his debut against England in Sydney in 2011, is on his third tour with Australia in the Caribbean after travelling to Sri Lanka and South Africa last year.
And although the 27-year-old is likely to again miss out to off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the first Test against the West Indies starting on Saturday in Barbados, he did his cause no harm with a four-wicket haul in a tour match on Tuesday.
Beer claimed 4-41 as the West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI was bowled out for 201 and, although three of his wickets were tail-enders, Harris believes his teammate showed just why he’s been picked for the tour.
“He’s worked bloody hard on his bowling,” Harris told reporters.
“Even today, he had a guy going after him and he was able to make those sorts of adjustments to stop him from hitting over his head.
“He thoroughly deserves to be in the squad, no doubt about that. He’s putting pressure on Nathan as well – that’s their little duel.”
Harris said while Beer was likely to miss out on the Barbados Test, he believes there’s every chance of Australia using two spinners for the Tests in Trinidad and Dominica.
“I reckon the other two Test venues, I think there could be a chance of playing two spinners,” he said.
“He’s bowling well, he had a good summer in Australia and he deserves his spot and he deserves it if he gets the opportunity to play in the Test match.”