Former Australian cricketer Dan Marsh has called on his country's side to consider George Bailey for selection for next year's tour of India
Australia's selectors sprung a major surprise on Friday by naming uncapped fast bowler Joe Mennie in a 12-man squad for the first two matches of a three-test series against South Africa beginning in Perth next week. Mennie was part of an inexperienced bowling attack that was humbled by the Proteas batsmen in the recent one-day series in South Africa, which the hosts won 5-0. Despite accumulating figures of 0-82 on debut, the 27-year-old was preferred to Jackson Bird, who toured New Zealand and Sri Lanka as part of the Australian test squad.
Jonny Bairstow's 'controversial dismissal' on the final Day of the second Ashes Test at the Lord's has left the cricketing world divided.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting says he would consider the role of chairman of selectors if offered the job and is also open to discussions on a coaching position with the team.
Top-order batsman Usman Khawaja has been drafted into the Australia squad for the ongoing ODI series against India in place of opener David Warner whose wife is expecting the couple's second child. Khawaja will join the squad in Brisbane and, at this stage, will remain for matches two and three of the five-game series, at the Gabba on January 15, and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 17 respectively, Cricket Australia said. National selector Rod Marsh said Warner would be welcomed back into the squad when circumstances allow.
Shane Watson also named in T20 squad to be captained by Aaron Finch
Australia have named Michael Clarke in a 12-man squad for the first Test against India starting in Brisbane next week, but the hamstrung captain must prove his fitness in a tour match starting on Friday.
Australia captain Steve Smith is to leave the Sri Lanka series mid-way and return to Australia early and rest up for the upcoming series against South Africa, with his deputy David Warner to take over captaincy of the visitors' one-day and T20 teams for the remainder of the tour. The news comes as Australia suffered an 82-run defeat in the second ODI against Sri Lanka to leave the series finely poised at 1-1.
Australia called up uncapped paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile for the first Test against West Indies on Tuesday as a replacement for left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc, who was ruled out of the series due to a broken foot.
Backing Shaun Tait's surprise return to the Australian T20 squad for the three-match series against India, former pacer Jason Gillespie said the tearaway speedster will cause a lot of damage on Indian tracks if he makes the squad for the World T20 starting March 8.
The eight innings in the ongoing Australia versus India has produced an unprecedented 2498 runs and Cricket Australia bosses have admitted that they are trying to ring in change to make all the pitches batting friendly. In all the four ODI matches, batsmen have had the upper hand with 671 runs being scored in the Canberra game - third most in an ODI played in Australia. "In an ideal world we've got some of the best fast bowlers in the world who like it hard, fast and bouncy and we're not getting that at the moment," CA's general manager of team performance Pat Howard was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann will have a 'private chat' with Usman Khawaja after the top order batsman publicly criticised selectors for dropping him during the Sri Lanka tour. Khawaja and opener Joe Burns were omitted for the third and final test in Colombo, which Australia lost to slump to a 3-0 series whitewash. Although both the Queenslanders struggled for runs, Khawaja told local media over the weekend he felt they were unfairly singled out.
While Shaun Marsh gets another go at resurrecting his career
Australia will resist the temptation to tinker with their team on tour against West Indies and plan to field their best 11 in a bid to sweep the two-Test series and build momentum for the Ashes, selector Rod Marsh has said.
The uncapped pair are the newcomers in captain Steven Smith's 15-man squad, which includes 10 players with less than 10 Tests, as Australia look to rebuild following a string of retirements after the Ashes defeat in England.
Batsmen Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges and Joe Burns have been rewarded for their strong form over the past 12 months by being awarded central contracts by Cricket Australia on Friday.
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc will return from a broken foot during Australia's limited-overs triangular series in the West Indies in June.
Aaron Finch has been dumped as Australia's captain in the shorTest form of the game and replaced by Test skipper Steve Smith just a month before the start of the World Twenty20.
'When Michael made his decision to retire last week it was a very straight forward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor' 'He is highly regarded by the selectors and we congratulate him on being appointed to the role on an ongoing basis. He should be incredibly proud'
Top class left-armers are in short supply and chief selector Rod Marsh joked that he had mulled telephoning Johnson to see whether he might like to come out of retirement.
Rajneesh Gupta picks fun sledging through the decades. Take a look!
Veteran Western Australian batsman Adam Voges in 17-man tour squad but give the cold shoulder to Glenn Maxwell.
After the MCC Committee meetings this week, the panel of former players requested the BCCI to reconsider its stance.
Injured captain Michael Clarke has been named in Australia's 15-man squad for the World Cup in February and March.
The squad also sees the return of proven Test and one-day bowler James Pattinson, who joined Australia A in India after recovering from a string of injuries
Conceding that the T20 call up against India came as a 'pleasant surprise', Australian all-rounder Shane Watson on Monday said his familiarity with Indian cricket through IPL helped him in reviving his faltering international career. After being dropped from the ODI side post last year's series against England, Watson had nearly given up hope on his international career, concentrating more on domestic T20 cricket like the Big Bash League. The 34-year-old batting all-rounder believes his performance for Sydney Thunder turned the tide in his favour. "Yes, it came as a pleasant surprise to me. In the end it just came down to doing well for Sydney Thunder in BBL and whatever happened from there from the Aussie side of things, because after being dropped from the One-day side I knew my international days are nearly over, so nice to get that surprise and get the call from Rod Marsh on Sunday," he added.
Nearly three years have passed since George Bailey was shut out of Test cricket after one middling series but the door has creaked ajar as Australia searches for answers to its subcontinental malaise before a daunting tour to India.
As one entered the hotel porch in Perth, there was India's captain and his deputy engrossed in a chat like long-lost friends.
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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.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood received his reward for some fine domestic form on Wednesday when he was included in a pace-heavy 13-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against South Africa next month.
Peter Nevill has got the nod ahead of Brad Haddin as Australia's wicketkeeper for the third Ashes Test against England at Edgbaston, captain Michael Clarke confirmed on Tuesday.
Michael Clarke may just meet the fitness deadline to lead the national team into the World Cup starting February 14, even as many Australia cricket officials are mulling appointing Steven Smith as full-time captain after the 50-over showpiece event.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket-keeping skills in the Test format has came under scrutiny yet again with former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe saying that the Indian captain has become a mere "stopper" due to burnout and attrition.
Dravid said the Australian spin legend will be remembered as long as the game is played.
Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson has revealed how his long-standing friendship with Shane Watson got off to a rocky start back in 2000, when the former all-rounder stuck his head in the toilet at the Australia's Cricket Academy in Adelaide.
Australia all-rounder Shane Watson is savouring his second chance at the World Cup after his omission from the side left him convinced he had played his last match at the tournament.
Opener Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson will all play their first Tests at Adelaide Oval after selectors wielded the axe following the Hobart humiliation, which gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
The Marylebone Cricket Club's World Cricket Committee said they are not in favour of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar's suggestion of experimenting with two pitches in domestic cricket to aid in preparing the Indian team for overseas Test matches.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon fought hard to cement his place in the Test team and now hopes to convince selectors of his white ball prowess in time for the World Twenty20 in India.
Josh Hazlewood and Brad Haddin set new milestones as Australia, replying to India's first innings score of 408, ended Day 2 in the second Test at the Gabba on 221 for four. Check out the day's days statistical highlights.
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