New Zimbabwe.com
24 May 2011
AUSTRALIA have named a fairly strong A-side for next month’s one-day tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa, and two four-day matches against the hosts in Harare and Bulawayo.
Tim Paine, who has been tipped as Australia’s next Test captain, has been named skipper of the Australia A squads set to arrive in Zimbabwe on June 26. South Australian batsman Callum Ferguson will deputise him.
Paine is vice-captain of the national Twenty20 team and remains the heir apparent to Brad Haddin’s place behind the stumps in the Test line-up.
Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister David Coltart, who travelled to Australia to convince them to set aside their reservations about touring because of political concerns, expressed delight at the selection.
“I’m excited by the prospect of such a strong Australia A side coming to play cricket in Zimbabwe next month. Good on you Aussies!†Coltart said on Twitter.
Political tensions and safety concerns have prevented Australia playing top-flight matches in Zimbabwe since 2004, but Paine said he had no qualms about touring.
“There’s professionals who are employed by Cricket Australia to keep an eye on that sort of thing,” he said.
“Closer to the tour, I’m sure we’ll get a security briefing from those people, but at this stage I haven’t heard anything different.”
There are plenty of familiar names in the two squads, including recent Test debutants Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer, alongside young quicks Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner and Mitchell Marsh.
Pat Cummins – the 17-year-old paceman who made a blistering start to his first class career with NSW – misses out because of a back injury.
Queensland batsman Chris Lynn was called up after an impressive finish to the season, despite being outside the provisional 24-man squad.
Australia A will play a one-day tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa, before finishing with two four-day matches against the host.
The limited-overs triangular series starts on June 29, and the two four-day matches will stretch the tour to July 23.
Australia A one-day squad: Tim Paine (capt), Callum Ferguson (vice-capt), Luke Butterworth, Trent Copeland, James Faulkner, Ben Hilfenhaus, Aaron Finch, Nathan Lyon, Chris Lynn, Nic Maddison, Mitch Marsh, Mitch Starc, Stephen O’Keefe, David Warner