Australia unveil squad for English ODI series
Australia has unveiled a 14-member squad for the seven match one-day international (ODI) series against England, which starts at the conclusion of the two-match Twenty20 series. Pace spearhead Brett Lee makes a return to the squad, while
the other fast bowlers include Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle.
The Australian selection committee led by Andrew Hilditch announced the squad. Unless there is an injury the same 14 players are likely to take part in the World Cup, which starts in the Indian sub-continent from 19 February.
Australia has won the title four times; including consecutive wins in the last three tournaments. Despite their horrific 1-3 loss to England in the Ashes, the Aussies will start the event as one of the favourites.
They won their first World Cup in 1987 – when it was staged in the subcontinent for the first time. The 15th player to join the squad in India is likely to be Ricky Ponting, who is sitting out the England series due to a finger
injury sustained during the third Test match at the WACA. He will in all probability lead the team in the tournament, which he has won twice as captain.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said, "We've given David Hussey the opportunity to push for inclusion in the World Cup squad, as we think he will be well suited for the sub-continent conditions which will be faced in the World Cup.
Ricky Ponting is recovering from a finger injury sustained during the Ashes, which gives Michael Clarke another chance to lead the one-day side.”
Hilditch also elaborated on the team’s vice-captain and their bowling options. He said, "His (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120’s) vice-captain will be Cameron White, who has had a real impact on this form of the game in the last year, and Cameron will be coming
off leading Australia in the two Twenty20 internationals this week. We have some explosive fast bowling with Shaun Tait, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle all selected in this squad. Shaun and Brett will therefore have an opportunity
to impress in this form of the game before World Cup squad selection.”
Besides the strong pace battery, the squad also includes two spinners in Nathan Hauritz and Xavier Doherty. While Doherty played the first two Tests of the Ashes, many believe that Hauritz was extremely unlucky to not to be selected for
the series.
Shane Warne maintains that Hauritz is the best spinner in the country at the moment, yet the selectors were not willing to try him out, after his failure in the two-Test match series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 which preceded the Ashes. Hilditch drafted
him into the ODI squad and claimed in the media conference that he was a key part of the limited overs team.
"We've included Nathan Hauritz, who has been a key part of our one-day side for some time now and Xavier Doherty in this squad, who played well against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 at the start of the summer. This gives us a chance to look at both of them
prior to the World Cup."
The squad includes nine players who took part in the Ashes at one stage or the other, while Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Peter Siddle and Michael Hussey featured in every game.
The selectors hope that the squad can pick themselves up, and tackle a rampant English team that is gunning for more wins in one of their greatest tours of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
Squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Michael Clarke (capt), Cameron White, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty, Peter Siddle, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.
Tags: