Matthew Wade was named Monday as Australia's wicketkeeper for the opening clash against South Africa in Brisbane next week, suggesting Brad Haddin's Test career could be at an end. Haddin, 35, has been resurgent in recent months, leading the Sydney Sixers to the Champions League Twenty20 title on Sunday, but Australia's five-man selection panel opted for a man 11 years his junior.
Australia's 12-man squad includes an expected top-six batting line-up, with Ed Cowan to open with big-hitting David Warner, followed by Shane Watson, 165-Test veteran Ricky Ponting, skipper Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey. Spinner Nathan Lyon was included along with pace bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc in an attack with significant depth.
"You need to pick your best squad for the conditions you're going to face and the opposition you're going to face and I believe we've done that for this Test match," said Clarke. "I think we've got a very strong squad for this Test match." Wade made his debut in Barbados in April against the West Indies and posted a century in the third Test in Dominica after Haddin left the tour for family reasons.
Chairman of selectors John Inverarity said both Wade and Haddin presented compelling cases for inclusion but he opted to usher in a new era by naming the Victorian. "Since then (the West Indies) he has played and gained valuable experience in England, the UAE and Sri Lanka. As a young player, getting better by the month, he is thoroughly deserving of his retention," he said.
But Inverarity held out an olive branch to Haddin, whose last Test appearance was in Adelaide against India in January. "While Matthew has been retained as the Test 'keeper, Brad remains a player of significant interest," he insisted. South Africa jetted into Australia Sunday aiming to consolidate their position as the number one Test team, which they earned in August with a series triumph in England.
Much pre-series media attention has centred on the battle of the pace attacks with South Africans Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel and Australians Hilfenhaus and Siddle among the top 10 ranked bowlers. James Pattinson is also expected to start in Brisbane with Starc a chance if Australia decide to play four quicks to combat the Proteas' heralded attack.
Teenager Pat Cummins was overlooked. South Africa coach Gary Kirsten said there were "no major surprises" in the Australia line-up, but skipper Graeme Smith said the team were under no illusions as to the difficulty of beating Clarke's men on home soil. "We understand that this is a big challenge for us coming to Australia," he said. South Africa achieved a maiden Test-series victory in Australia in 2008-2009, and Smith said this could have helped put the Proteas on track for the world top ranking.
"I think it is something we thrived on. I think to beat Australia in those stadiums... is something that I don't think South Africans had dreamt of for a very long time," he told reporters. "So for us to be able to achieve that... was incredible. We certainly took a lot out of that. Maybe that was a stepping stone to a lot of the success that we've had."
After a three-day warm-up against Australia A in Sydney from November 2, the Brisbane Test begins on November 9, the second at the Adelaide Oval on November 22 and the last on November 30 at the Waca in Perth. Australia squad:
Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus.
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