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Casson wins spot on Windies tour
LEFT-arm wrist-spinner Beau Casson has been rewarded for a strong domestic season by being called up to the Australian squad for the Test tour of the West Indies.
Casson, 25, is one of eight NSW players in the 15-man Test squad, along with state captain Simon Katich, who was recalled after his record-breaking season with the bat.
Casson took the wicket which won the Pura Cup final against Victoria and finished the season with 29 wickets at an average of 35.
He was preferred to Cricket Australia contracted spinners Cullen Bailey and Dan Cullen, and also to 36-year-old Victorian leggie Bryce McGain, who took more wickets but had a moderate showing in the domestic competition final.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Casson was by far the best-performed of the young spinners during the domestic season.
“His efforts with both bat and ball have been very good and we look forward to watching his development during the course of the tour,” Hilditch said.
Casson will join Test veteran Stuart MacGill, who also won a recall after missing much of the home season through injury, but bowled well in the Pura Cup final.
Other new faces include Queensland all-rounder Ashley Noffke and Tasmanian swing specialist Ben Hilfenhaus, both of whom have made limited-overs appearances for Australia but have yet to earn a baggy green cap.
Michael Clarke's status as Test captain in waiting was confirmed when he was named as Ricky Ponting's deputy for the three-Test tour.
Clarke, 26, who recently announced his engagement to model Lara Bingle, was preferred to Michael Hussey as vice-captain.
“With Adam Gilchrist retiring after a stellar Australian career we have identified the need to look towards the future,” Hilditch said.
“While we had some very strong candidates within the current team, we had no hesitation in recommending Michael Clarke for the position.
“We were thrilled with his performances as captain during the two Twenty20 international games this summer and believe he has outstanding leadership credentials.”
David Hussey, brother of Australian Test and one-day regular Michael, gets his first call-up to the one-day squad, along with West Australian Shaun Marsh, 24, the son of former Test opener and coach Geoff.
Katich, who was dropped form the Test team at the end of 2005 and subsequently lost his Cricket Australia contract, made an irresistible case for his recall by scoring a record 1506 runs in the Pura Cup season at an average of better than 94.
“Since he has was omitted from the Australian side there is nothing more we could have asked Simon to do,” Hilditch said.
“We are looking forward to him playing a key role throughout the tour.”
Australia will play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour, which runs from mid-May to early July.
The squads are:
Test: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Beau Casson, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds.
One-Day: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Andrew Symonds, Cameron White.
This was from the Australian today, no joke. And I make the point that Casson has been chosen because I said that he could be a dark horse for the tour.
Anyway, interesting to see that Noffke and Hilfenhaus have been added to the test squad but not the limited overs. Stuart MacGill is also back in the squad.
David Hussey has been rewarded for his outstanding domestic year with a spot in the one-day squad, along with Shaun Marsh. Cameron White is in too, as a batsman surely.
LEFT-arm wrist-spinner Beau Casson has been rewarded for a strong domestic season by being called up to the Australian squad for the Test tour of the West Indies.
Casson, 25, is one of eight NSW players in the 15-man Test squad, along with state captain Simon Katich, who was recalled after his record-breaking season with the bat.
Casson took the wicket which won the Pura Cup final against Victoria and finished the season with 29 wickets at an average of 35.
He was preferred to Cricket Australia contracted spinners Cullen Bailey and Dan Cullen, and also to 36-year-old Victorian leggie Bryce McGain, who took more wickets but had a moderate showing in the domestic competition final.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Casson was by far the best-performed of the young spinners during the domestic season.
“His efforts with both bat and ball have been very good and we look forward to watching his development during the course of the tour,” Hilditch said.
Casson will join Test veteran Stuart MacGill, who also won a recall after missing much of the home season through injury, but bowled well in the Pura Cup final.
Other new faces include Queensland all-rounder Ashley Noffke and Tasmanian swing specialist Ben Hilfenhaus, both of whom have made limited-overs appearances for Australia but have yet to earn a baggy green cap.
Michael Clarke's status as Test captain in waiting was confirmed when he was named as Ricky Ponting's deputy for the three-Test tour.
Clarke, 26, who recently announced his engagement to model Lara Bingle, was preferred to Michael Hussey as vice-captain.
“With Adam Gilchrist retiring after a stellar Australian career we have identified the need to look towards the future,” Hilditch said.
“While we had some very strong candidates within the current team, we had no hesitation in recommending Michael Clarke for the position.
“We were thrilled with his performances as captain during the two Twenty20 international games this summer and believe he has outstanding leadership credentials.”
David Hussey, brother of Australian Test and one-day regular Michael, gets his first call-up to the one-day squad, along with West Australian Shaun Marsh, 24, the son of former Test opener and coach Geoff.
Katich, who was dropped form the Test team at the end of 2005 and subsequently lost his Cricket Australia contract, made an irresistible case for his recall by scoring a record 1506 runs in the Pura Cup season at an average of better than 94.
“Since he has was omitted from the Australian side there is nothing more we could have asked Simon to do,” Hilditch said.
“We are looking forward to him playing a key role throughout the tour.”
Australia will play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour, which runs from mid-May to early July.
The squads are:
Test: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Beau Casson, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds.
One-Day: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Andrew Symonds, Cameron White.
This was from the Australian today, no joke. And I make the point that Casson has been chosen because I said that he could be a dark horse for the tour.
Anyway, interesting to see that Noffke and Hilfenhaus have been added to the test squad but not the limited overs. Stuart MacGill is also back in the squad.
David Hussey has been rewarded for his outstanding domestic year with a spot in the one-day squad, along with Shaun Marsh. Cameron White is in too, as a batsman surely.
