Michael Clarke to lead Australia in the fifth Ashes Test
Michael Clarke will lead Australia in the fifth and last Ashes Test after Ricky Ponting was ruled out of the series with a fractured finger.
The fifth Test will be played on 3 January 2011 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will deputise him while Cameron White will take the same role in Twenty20 and One Day International series.
Ricky Ponting played with a fractured finger in the fourth Ashes Test which they lost by an innings and 157 runs. Ponting requires a surgery to recover which means he will not be a part of upcoming Commonwealth ODI series against England as well. But an
under-pressure Ponting looks determined to play more Test cricket for Australia after losing Ashes third time as captain.
Chief executive officer of Cricket Australia James Sutherland said that national selection panel recommended Michael Clarke as captain of Australia for the final Ashes Test and for the ODI series. He congratulated Clarke for his appointment and wished him
best of luck.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch hoped that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 and Haddin would lead Australia professionally in the fifth Test.
Ponting may require a month to recover but expressed his resolve to play the next World Cup. He said, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t play the final Ashes Test but I am devoted to lead http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in the World Cup that is just round the corner. I want to play more
Cricket for Australia as captain.”
Pakistan-born http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Usman-Khawaja-c2729 will replace Ponting as he has been named in the 12-man squad for the Sydney Test. Injured fast bowler Ryan Harris will be replaced by Doug Bollinger.
Khawaja has six first-class centuries to his name in addition to ten half-centuries from just 27 matches for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823 since his debut in February 2008. Three of his six centuries have come in 2009-10 season during which he amassed 698 runs. He also
averages 51.7 in Sheffield Shield cricket.
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