Ashes 2010: Australia announce 17-man squad
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting will be Australia's captain once again
Australia have named a 17-man squad for the Ashes series against England which starts in Brisbane on 25 November.
Young batsmen Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja, spinner Xavier Doherty and fast bowler Ryan Harris are in a squad which is bigger than the touring party.
Selectors say it will be reduced to a 12 or 13-man group before the Aussies arrive in Brisbane for the opener.
They are hopeful vice-captain Michael Clarke will be fit despite the recurrence of a back problem.
Tasmanian left-arm spinner Doherty was perhaps the most surprising selection, offering Australia a third slow bowling option after Nathan Hauritz and Steve Smith.
Fast bowler Doug Bollinger, Harris and Simon Katich are included despite recent injuries.
Khawaja would be Australia's first Test cricketer of Muslim faith if he makes the final line-up.
Andrew Hilditch, chairman of the selectors, said they wanted to look at the next round of domestic Sheffield Shield matches and the Australia A game against England before trimming the squad.
"From a logistical point of view and with these important games yet to be completed, we have named an extended squad of 17 with 10 days before the first Test begins," he said.
Clarke is among the party despite a long-standing back problem which flared up in a match for New South Wales (NSW) which finished on Saturday.
Bollinger and opening batsman Simon Katich are included after impressing on their returns to grade cricket following stomach and thumb complaints respectively.
Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: "Michael Clarke experienced back stiffness during the recently completed Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales.
"He is expected to recover in time to join the team in Brisbane on 21 November to prepare for the first Ashes Test match."
But Kountouris said paceman Ryan Harris is still suffering from a chronic knee injury which requires ongoing management.
"As such he will not play in the next round of Sheffield Shield games or for Australia A starting on 17 November to allow his knee to fully recover," he said.
"His availability for the first Ashes Test will be determined later this week."
Simon Katich
Katich has made over 4,000 Test runs at an average of 45
Opening batsman Katich, 35, who has 54 Test caps and played in the two losing Ashes campaigns in England in 2005 and 2009, was pleased to have been able to prove his fitness.
"It's good to spend time in the middle and score some runs. The hand feels good," he said after hitting 94 for Randwick Petersham at Coogee Oval.
The left-hander has established himself as a key member of their batting line-up since taking on the role of opener during a tour to the West Indies in 2008.
He has not scored a Test hundred since the first Test against England at Cardiff last year, but seven scores of 75 or over since then underline his consistency and he could open with Shane Watson in Brisbane unless he suffers a setback in his recovery.
Australia's selectors have also received encouraging news about pace bowler Bollinger, who took 1-39 from 12 overs for Fairfield-Liverpool, and has produced some good figures in Test cricket this calendar year, with 29 wickets in seven matches. Bollinger is yet to face England in a Test match.
Australia could only draw the Test series against Pakistan in England before losing 2-0 in India, and there have been calls for changes to be made.
The men under the most pressure are middle-order batsmen Mike Hussey and Marcus North, plus off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.
Hussey has only 112 runs in his past six Test innings, North has been inconsistent and Hauritz has also looked short of form.
But the selectors are taking a cautious approach as they hope Australia can rise to the occasion against an England side who have not won an Ashes series down under since 1986-87.
England, who won the last series at home in 2005, named a 16-man touring party this time.
Australia Test squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Doug Bollinger, Xavier Doherty, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Nathan Hauritz, Mike Hussey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Usman Khawaja, Marcus North, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Shane Watson
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Subject: Ashes 2010: Australia announce 17-man squad 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:38 pm
