The Cricket Australia has named a 12-member squad for the first and second Commonwealth Bank Tests in Perth and Hobart, scheduled to start on November 3 and November 12, 2016 respectively
The Cricket Australia National Selection Panel (NSP) today have named the team which will be led by, Steve Smith (Captain) with Deputy David Warner (Vice Captain) who celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday. Other members of the team are Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Adam Voges.
Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle are returning to the national team after their injury induced break, and are seen as the mainstay of bowling along with the South Australian fast-bowler Joe Mennie who features in the Test squad for the first time.
Speaking about Joe Mennie, National Selector Rod Marsh said, “Joe bowls a great length at a lively pace and his form in first-class cricket has been terrific in the last 12 months. He also impressed us during the recent Australia A Series in Queensland. He was the highest wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield last season and is very handy with the bat.”
Shaun Marsh is also coming back after his recovery from a hamstring strain to replace Queenslander Joe Burns who’s not selected in the side.
Speaking about the two, Marsh said, “Both Shaun and Joe played very well in the Sheffield Shield round but Shaun is coming off back-to-back hundreds in Test matches and has performed very well in Perth and Hobart so we have opted to go with him.”