Usman Khawaja will fly to Brisbane to be on standby for Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke who is nursing a back injury ahead of Thursday's first Ashes Test.
Clarke is confident he'll be fit to play.
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Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris confirmed 29-year-old Clarke was no certainty to play due to ongoing concerns over his degenerative back injury.
Kountouris said Clarke missed the extended session at Allan Border Field with a view to being right for net sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Gabba.
Khawaja boasts a first-class average of 50.24 in 24 matches. The 23-year-old's selection in the squad comes despite making 13 and 0 for Australia A against England last week in Hobart, where another contender, Callum Ferguson, also failed twice with scores of 7 and 10.
However the inclusion of Khawaja is a snub for young all-rounder Steve Smith, who was in the original 13-man squad but seemingly has been pushed back in the queue in favour of left-hander Khawaja.
"As there is some doubt over Michael Clarke's fitness for the Brisbane Test match, it was felt prudent to bring a standby player into the squad," chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.
"Usman has been added as a result of his strong recent domestic form.
"We intend to give Michael as much time as possible to prove his fitness and a decision on his availability will be made in consultation with the team's medical staff after the next two days of training."
Troubled by the chronic injury for most of his Test career, Clarke aggravated the problem when scoring a Sheffield Shield century for NSW against Victoria 10 days ago.
He missed the Blues' subsequent Shield loss to Tasmania last week to rest the injury.
"He's in the process of recovery now (and) part of the plan was for him not to have a bat today and hopefully he'll be available for the game," Kountouris said at the end of training in Brisbane.
"I'm reasonably optimistic but until he bats tomorrow and recovers from that, that's when we'll know how he is.
"Until he bats tomorrow we can't be absolutely 100 per cent sure that he's OK to go."
Clarke played no part in the squad's warm up on Monday, instead just walking laps around the oval before resting up.
While Clarke boasts that the problem has never caused him to miss a Test in his 64-match career, that will go on the line as soon as Tuesday according to Ponting.
"He's been in this situation a few times in the last couple of years, he's had these niggly things with his back and been able to come up most times," Ponting said.
"If we don't see him bat tomorrow then I think it will be hard to see him considered for the game."
সোমবার, ২২ নভেম্বর, ২০১০
Mitchell Johnson says......
A fired-up Mitchell Johnson has warned England captain Andrew Strauss he'll have a massive target on his helmet as Australia's ultra-confident pace attack aim to set a menacing Ashes tone on Thursday.
Johnson and fellow quick Peter Siddle on Monday nominated Strauss as the key wicket and the man they will target, with an array of short-pitch bowling, when the Ashes starts on a juiced-up Gabba pitch.
With continued wet weather and overcast conditions forecast in Brisbane, Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell jnr confirmed there would be plenty of assistance to the fast bowlers throughout the match.
Former Queenslander Johnson, the man of the match in taking nine wickets against New Zealand two years ago when rain similarly affected Test wicket preparations, is licking his lips at the prospect of a double dose of seam and swing on his old home ground.
The left-armer will use the extra bounce to pepper kingpin Strauss with a lot of chin music and attempt to dismiss him hooking or fending.
"I've had a bit of a look at the footage at him under the short ball," Johnson said. "He can play one that's about chest height but if you really get it right on the money (at his head) he really does struggle with it.
"You've got to get your bouncer high to him. You've got to be that aggressive bowler to him."
Johnson, desperate to make amends for his form in last year's 2-1 Ashes series loss, rates England's consistent batting line-up highly but believes they could struggle if their skipper fails.
"They really look up to their captain, Andrew Strauss, and that's someone we need to target," he said.
"As their captain, if you can get him to crumble their players start thinking the same way and start thinking negatively so he's someone we're going after."
Part of the plan of taking out Strauss is getting under his skin in the middle with some choice words.
"I'm sure Ricky will want us to do that as well, try and get into his mind a little bit," Johnson said.
Siddle, believed to have his nose in front of Doug Bollinger to be the third quick behind Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, claimed Australia's attack had improved greatly since the 2009 series while England had stagnated.
"I don't think they've improved at all," the Victoria quick said. "Obviously they've got (Steven) Finn come in, but that's about the only thing that's changed.
"It's the same team we played over there and they're in our conditions now and it's definitely going to be a lot tougher for them.
"We had the three top leading wicket-takers in the last series and it's another challenge to perform well and show the world this attack ... is the best in the world."
Johnson and fellow quick Peter Siddle on Monday nominated Strauss as the key wicket and the man they will target, with an array of short-pitch bowling, when the Ashes starts on a juiced-up Gabba pitch.
With continued wet weather and overcast conditions forecast in Brisbane, Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell jnr confirmed there would be plenty of assistance to the fast bowlers throughout the match.
Former Queenslander Johnson, the man of the match in taking nine wickets against New Zealand two years ago when rain similarly affected Test wicket preparations, is licking his lips at the prospect of a double dose of seam and swing on his old home ground.
The left-armer will use the extra bounce to pepper kingpin Strauss with a lot of chin music and attempt to dismiss him hooking or fending.
"I've had a bit of a look at the footage at him under the short ball," Johnson said. "He can play one that's about chest height but if you really get it right on the money (at his head) he really does struggle with it.
"You've got to get your bouncer high to him. You've got to be that aggressive bowler to him."
Johnson, desperate to make amends for his form in last year's 2-1 Ashes series loss, rates England's consistent batting line-up highly but believes they could struggle if their skipper fails.
"They really look up to their captain, Andrew Strauss, and that's someone we need to target," he said.
"As their captain, if you can get him to crumble their players start thinking the same way and start thinking negatively so he's someone we're going after."
Part of the plan of taking out Strauss is getting under his skin in the middle with some choice words.
"I'm sure Ricky will want us to do that as well, try and get into his mind a little bit," Johnson said.
Siddle, believed to have his nose in front of Doug Bollinger to be the third quick behind Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, claimed Australia's attack had improved greatly since the 2009 series while England had stagnated.
"I don't think they've improved at all," the Victoria quick said. "Obviously they've got (Steven) Finn come in, but that's about the only thing that's changed.
"It's the same team we played over there and they're in our conditions now and it's definitely going to be a lot tougher for them.
"We had the three top leading wicket-takers in the last series and it's another challenge to perform well and show the world this attack ... is the best in the world."
শনিবার, ২০ নভেম্বর, ২০১০
Sri Lankan Cricket Captain,Sangakkara Injured
Recently, Kumar Sangakkara, captain of Sri Lanka has injured his left hamstring and fighting for fitness for the upcoming Australian tour. According to Tommy Simsek, physio of Sri Lankan team, Sangakkara was injured while training on the muddy track.
Despite the injury, Sangakkara is optimistic regarding his fitness for Australian tour. Simsek also said, “It is a mild grade-one hamstring injury. He is currently under treatment and requires about two weeks to recover from the injury.”
During the last tour of Sri Lanka to Australia, Sangakkara had a hamstring injury in the year 2007-2008. He also missed his first test played at Brisbane. A day before the injury, Sangakkara was announced as the CEAT-Sri Lanka Cricket cricketer of the year. He is also the most popular cricketer and also the current number one ICC ranked Test batsman.
If you are looking for more information and updates on 2011 Cricket World Cup, then you must log on to www.2011cricketworldcuptickets.com! You would be provided with latest updates and information on 2011 Cricket World Cup! Feel free to call our executives any time, as we are available for 24x7!
Despite the injury, Sangakkara is optimistic regarding his fitness for Australian tour. Simsek also said, “It is a mild grade-one hamstring injury. He is currently under treatment and requires about two weeks to recover from the injury.”
During the last tour of Sri Lanka to Australia, Sangakkara had a hamstring injury in the year 2007-2008. He also missed his first test played at Brisbane. A day before the injury, Sangakkara was announced as the CEAT-Sri Lanka Cricket cricketer of the year. He is also the most popular cricketer and also the current number one ICC ranked Test batsman.
If you are looking for more information and updates on 2011 Cricket World Cup, then you must log on to www.2011cricketworldcuptickets.com! You would be provided with latest updates and information on 2011 Cricket World Cup! Feel free to call our executives any time, as we are available for 24x7!
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