Jackson Bird and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – Cricket News Update – Part II
Continued from Part I...
The other change the Australian selectors have been forced to make to their squad from the previous game is inclusion of left-handed batsman Usman Khawaja, who has been called up as cover for skipper Michael Clarke, who is nursing a hamstring injury. The Aussie skipper retired hurt during http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s second innings in Hobart with a hamstring injury.
"http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 is in doubt due to the injury he sustained whilst batting on the fourth day of the first Test. Usman Khawaja comes into the squad as cover for Michael," he said.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 is confident he will recover in time to lead the side in Melbourne next week, and Khawaja will get a chance only in case the skipper fails to recover in the expected time.
Khawaja, who lost out to Phil Hughes in the battle to replace veteran http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Robert-John-Inverarity-c85980.
"Usman has been in good form this season. He has played especially well on occasions when conditions for batting have been very difficult," said Inverarity in a press release.
The 26-year-old Pakistan-born Khawaja has so far scored 438 runs at an average of almost 40 from six Shield appearances this season, and is the tournament’s third highest run getter, behind Phil Hughes (518) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CJ-Ferguson-c1264 (463). His tally of 438 runs also includes one century and three half centuries.
Inverarity also confirmed that Shane Watson would be the stand-in skipper if Clarke failed to recover in time for the Boxing Day Test.
"If Michael is not able to take his place in the side then Shane Watson will captain the team," said the national selector. "Shane acquitted himself well when he deputised for Michael in the ODI series in the Caribbean earlier this year in March," he added further.
The rest of the Australian squad remains the same, with Mitchell Johnson retained after being named 12th man for the series opener.
Australia’s Boxing Day Test Squad http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822.
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