Opener Phil Jaques, batsman Mark Cosgrove, bowlers Shaun Tait and Jason Gillespie — who has been named as captain — will all be given the chance to impress the selectors ahead of the forthcoming Ashes series.
Gillespie, who was sensationally dropped from the Australian team midway through last year’s Ashes series in England, is relishing the prospect of leading the Prime Minister’s XI against England.
”To be given the opportunity to lead such a young and exciting side in what will be my first PM’s XI game is a fantastic honour and one that I am really looking forward to,” he said.
”To be the leader of the first side to take on England at the start of what is shaping as a great series is a real privilege and one that I am sure will be a fantastic moment for the team and the Australian public.”
The team contains six players with international experience and National Selection Panel (NSP) chairperson Andrew Hilditch is excited by the array of talent that will be on show in Canberra.
”There are some young players with international experience like Phil Jaques and Mark Cosgrove but we have some exciting young batting talent as well in Shaun Marsh, Travis Birt, Adam Voges and Tim Paine.
”Young bowlers Shaun Tait and Ben Hilfenhaus impressed during the Australia A series earlier in the year and also during their stints at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence. They are both very much in our thoughts moving forward.
”Cameron White is a good young player who has had an excellent season in England and this gives him an opportunity to show his quality. Adam Ritchard is a promising young swing bowler who has played for Australia Under-19 and is from the ACT,” Hilditch said. – Sport365.co.za