Named by Australia is a 14-man squad for the inaugural one-day match against England on Sunday. Brad Haddin will keep his position, with Cameron White appointed as vice-captain.
In the absence of the injured Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke will lead the team, and included in the squad are Brett Lee, David Hussey, Doug Bollinger, and Shaun Tait.
For the bowling attack, speedsters Lee and Tait will compete for a spot alongside Test pace bowler Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, and Bollinger. Additionally, Nathan Hauritz and Xavier Doherty have both been selected as rival spinners.
Although Haddin has lost his place in Australia’s Twenty20 team to Tim Paine, he will still serve as the wicket-keeper. However, he has given up his role as Test vice-captain to Twenty20 skipper White.
“We’ve chosen a very strong 14-man squad for the first ODI, as it promises to be a fiercely contested series between these two teams,” stated Andrew Hilditch, Australia’s chairman of selectors.
“This squad is designated for just one match, allowing the National Selection Panel to evaluate specific players before our final selection for the ICC Cricket World Cup squad of fifteen on January 19.
“Over the past year, our one-day performance has been solid, and as we prepare for a fourth consecutive attempt at the World Cup, these matches against England provide not only a significant challenge but also an opportunity for players to make their case for inclusion in that World Cup squad.
“Nathan Hauritz has been a vital component of our One-day side for an extended period, and we are also including Xavier Doherty in this squad, who performed admirably against Sri Lanka at the beginning of the summer.
“This also allows us to assess both players before the World Cup.”
Australian squad for the first ODI against England: Michael Clarke (capt), Cameron White (v-capt), Doug Bollinger, Xavier Doherty, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson.
by Terence Johns
