Gillespie names Ashes quicks, bolter

Former fast bowler Jason Gillespie would take six fast bowlers for Australia's Ashes campaign this winter and has thrown up a huge bolter should the selectors opt for a horses-for-courses strategy.

Gillespie, who won the Ashes in England twice from 1997-2001, would take this summer's Test quicks - Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson – and two bowlers from a group of Peter Siddle, Daniel Worrall, Chris Tremain and Jason Behrendorff.

But Gillespie also tossed up a dark horse in South Australian left-armer Nick Winter, who took 34 wickets in just five JLT Sheffield Shield matches with the Dukes ball last summer, the same ball used in England.

"Last year, if you remember, (Winter) only played half the Shield season and he played it with the Dukes ball and was runner-up Shield player of the year," said Gillespie on this week's edition of The Unplayable Podcast.

"If you are picking pure horses for courses, he could come into the conversation.

"I sense that Cricket Australia will probably take him on the (Australia A tour that precedes the Ashes) or they will encourage him to go and play League cricket in England.

"There's potential he might be ready should they feel conditions would suit."

While Winter has captured just 11 wickets at 48.27 this Shield season, he looks to be back in form after taking 8-58 for South Australia with the Dukes ball in their Toyota Futures League clash against Queensland at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

The 25-year-old will have four matches with the Dukes ball to press his Ashes claims when Shield cricket returns later this month.

Pushing his Ashes credentials alongside Winter will be Worrall, the right-arm swing bowler who started the season with 17 wickets in five innings before he was struck down with a back injury.

The 27-year-old has experience in English conditions having played four matches for Gloucestershire in Division Two of the County Championship last year, picking up 16 wickets at 21.75.

He has been endorsed by pace legend Mitchell Johnson as an Ashes contender, and now Gillespie is on the record saying he could be effective in England this August-September.

"He (Worrall) pitches the ball up and he bowls between 135-140kph and he can swing the Dukes ball both ways," Gillespie said.

"For me, that could be that point of difference that we need to challenge the defence of the England batsmen with the Dukes ball.

"So he's a chance of having an impact."

Gillespie also ruled himself out of the vacant assistant coach role in the national set-up after the resignation of David Saker.

The 43-year-old said he is content coaching the Adelaide Strikers and Sussex Sharks in England, but would help out Justin Langer's side should his phone ring.