Alex Doolan stroked his highest first class score as Australia A's middle-order coped comfortably with South Africa's pace attack and moved into a 352-run first innings lead by the close of the second day of their match on Saturday.
Tasmanian batsman Alex Doolan could be in line for a test debut pending the fitness of all-rounder Shane Watson after being named in Australia's 14-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney.
Australia dropped batsman George Bailey from the squad for their three-Test tour of South Africa on Monday and brought uncapped Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh into the 15-man party. Bailey made his debut in the first Test of the recently-concluded Ashes series, but scored only 183 runs at an average of 26 as an unchanged Australia romped to a 5-0 sweep of England.
Australian cricketer Alex Doolan may have the perfect chance to force his way into Australia's Test team this week, but the talented Tasmanian reckons both Phil Hughes and Rob Quiney are more worthy contenders than him.
India 'A' bowlers were at the receiving end of some commanding batting from Australia 'A' on a rain-hit fourth day as the second and final unofficial Test match ended in a draw at the Allan Border Field, in Brisbane, on Wednesday.
All-rounder James Faulkner has been named captain of Australia's 'A' team for the four-day series against India 'A' and South Africa 'A' in July and August, Cricket Australia said on Friday.
Australia have cut opening batsman Ed Cowan and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade from their list of 18 centrally-contracted players, but handed opener Phillip Hughes another chance to establish himself in the national set-up.
India are all set to drop a rung to sixth in the ICC Test rankings, replaced by arch-rivals Pakistan in the fifth position.
The Australia players gave him a guard of honour and an expectant Newlands crowd willed him to a century send-off, but South Africa captain Graeme Smith lasted just three balls in his final Test innings.
Usman Khawaja has been handed the chance to audition for an Ashes place after being named in the Australia 'A' side to face England two weeks before the first Test.
Australia face a selection quandary with the return from injury of all-rounder Shane Watson for the second Test against South Africa, which starts on Thursday.
David Warner took over from Mitchell Johnson as South Africa's tormentor-in-chief as the Australian opener blitzed a quickfire century to extend his team's huge lead on the third day of the first Test on Friday.
David Warner thumped a run-a-ball century as Australia dominated the opening day of the third and final Test against South Africa, piling up 331 for three at Newlands on Saturday.
The perennial fitness battles of Shane Watson are likely to rule the all-rounder out of Australia's second Test against South Africa.
Captain Michael Clarke has indicated that Shane Watson will not return to the Australia side as a specialist batsman for the second Test against South Africa at St George's Park on Thursday.
Dale Steyn produced a ferocious spell of fast bowling to inspire South Africa to a crushing 231-run victory over Australia in fading light on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
JP Duminy, AB de Villiers, Wayne Parnell and Vernon Philander put South Africa on top as they reduced Australia to 112 for four on the second day of the second Test at St George's Park on Friday.
Mitchell Johnson took his match haul to 10 after claiming three South Africa wickets on Saturday as Australia reduced the hosts, facing a 482-run target for victory, to 132 for five in the first Test.
Late call-up Shaun Marsh scored an unbeaten century in his first Test in two years to lead a middle-order recovery as Australia closed at 297 for four on the first day of the first Test against South Africa on Wednesday.
In-form Naman Ojha struck his third successive century while No.10 batsman Umesh Yadav smashed a quickfire 90 to give India 'A' the upperhand against Australia 'A' on Day 3 of the second unofficial Test match.
David Warner's third consecutive Test century could not stop Pakistan from taking control of the first Test against Australia on Friday after the tourists squandered a strong start and were all out for 303 in their first innings.
Captain Michael Clarke was frank about Australia's struggles to read the spin off the slow Dubai wicket but declined to criticise his team mates after his second dismissal to slow bowling in the first Test against Pakistan.
Pakistan's spinners scythed through Australia's top order in the second innings to get them close to victory in the first Test after twin centuries from Younus Khan and youngster Ajmal Shehzad helped the hosts set an improbable target.
Younus Khan led Pakistan's fightback with a dogged century after the hosts made a terrible start to the first Test against Australia in Dubai on Wednesday. After opting to bat first, Pakistan put up 219 for four wickets at stumps on the first day, with captain Misbah-ul-haq (34) and Asad Shafiq (9) at the crease.
Glenn Maxwell hammered the India 'A' bowlers to all parts of the LC de Villers Oval in Pretoria to score 145 not out from 79 balls and lift Australia 'A' to 298 in the second match of the 'A' Team tri-series, on Thursday.
Joe Burns is determined to avoid membership of the burgeoning club of Australian batsmen who have made brief cameos.
Younus Khan's prolific bat continued to torment Australia as he struck his third successive Test hundred to put Pakistan in a commanding position on Day 1 of the second and final Test, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday. The former captain, whose twin centuries in the first Test secured Pakistan's 221-run victory in Dubai, extended his red hot form to hit an unbeaten 111 and helped Pakistan to a strong 304 for two wickets at the close.
Australia will have to win both Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to go one point clear of South Africa, who displaced them at the top in July, but there is still little clarity about the side who would walk out for the first match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Australia have included uncapped George Bailey in their 12-man squad for the first Ashes encounter against England next week in a gamble the 31-year-old can replicate his "extraordinary" limited overs form in the Test arena.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has warned his team to beware a backlash from a wounded Australia in the second and final Test in Abu Dhabi starting on Thursday.
Organisers are confident West Indies will take part at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year despite the crisis caused by their withdrawal from the tour of India earlier this month.
Graeme Smith made three in his final Test innings as South Africa were slipping towards a heavy defeat at the close on the fourth day of the series-deciding third Test against Australia on Tuesday.
Despite the weeks of debate about the make-up of the Australia team for next week's first Ashes Test, captain Michael Clarke is of the opinion that 11 of the 12 players are "no-brainer" selections.
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Australia have named swashbuckling batsman Aaron Finch captain of the Twenty20 cricket team, replacing George Bailey, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Monday.
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