The Ashes: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could return at MCG but Australia also call-up Scott Boland
Captain Pat Cummins and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have been included in Australia squad for rest of Ashes series; the pair missed Adelaide game but are in line to return at the MCG on Boxing Day; Australia call-up seamer Scott Boland while rest of bowling attack assessed medically
Tuesday 21 December 2021 07:25, UK
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could return for Australia in the Boxing Day Ashes Test against England in Melbourne but the hosts have called up fellow seamer Scott Boland as cover.
Cummins and Hazlewood missed the day-night Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by 275-run to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Hazlewood was nursing a side strain sustained during the series opener in Brisbane, while Cummins was a late omission after being deemed a close contact of a positive Covid case.
Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser were drafted into the XI for the pink-ball clash in South Australia and would be expected to drop out again if Cummins and Hazlewood, who have 386 Test wickets between them, are available.
Captain Cummins is expected to play but Hazlewood could still be a doubt.
Australia initially named an unchanged 15-man squad for the final three Tests but added seamer Boland to to the party on Tuesday while the rest of their bowling attack is assessed medically.
Mitchell Starc appeared to tweak his back while batting in Australia's second innings in Adelaide, though he then bowled 27 overs as the home side dismissed England for 192.
Opener Marcus Harris retains his place despite a top-score of 23 in four innings in the series to date.
Usman Khawaja is the spare batter in the squad and has opened the batting in Test cricket, notching a fifty and a hundred in the four innings in which he has done so on home soil, so does provide an alternative.
The third Test at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground begins on Boxing Day.
Australia squad for third Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
