Published>Wed, Nov 24 10 08:28 AM
Australia batsman Michael Clarke is fit to start the first Ashes test against England on Thursday but fast bowler Doug Bollinger will miss out, captain Ricky Ponting said on Wednesday.
Clarke, who has been suffering from a recurrence of a back problem that has dogged him for much of his career, missed a Sheffield Shield match last week and training on Monday, throwing into doubt his participation in the Brisbane test.
The 29-year-old, who has scored 4,549 runs in 64 tests since making his debut in 2004, returned to training on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning had a net session at the Gabba.
Uncapped batsman Usman Khawaja, who was brought into the squad as cover for Clarke, will be released from the squad with Bollinger providing the chosen eleven make it through the warm-up on Thursday morning.
"We have got a team, Doug Bollinger and Usman Khawaja are the two who are not playing," Ponting told a news conference on the eve of the first test.
"Michael Clarke's got through his work particularly well in the last few days, had a long solid session in the nets today so he's come through pretty well and Dougie's the unlucky quick who misses out."
Bollinger's omission means Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle will form Australia's three-strong pace attack with Xavier Doherty making his debut as the specialist spinner.
Team - Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Xavier Doherty.
Source: Web Search
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