GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Marnus Labuschagne is back in Australia’s squad to start the Ashes series, with selectors including the veteran batter Wednesday in a 15-man group for the first cricket Test against England.
Labuschagne missed Australia’s three-Test series win over the West Indies in the Caribbean in July after a lean run of form but has regained confidence with some impressive innings in first-class cricket.
Opening batter Jake Weatherald could make his debut in the November 21-25 match in Perth after being selected ahead of Matt Renshaw and Sam Konstas. However, his participation depends on who is chosen to open alongside Usman Khawaja. The 31-year-old Weatherald was the leading scorer in the Sheffield Shield tournament last summer, amassing 906 runs at an average of 50.33. He also scored a century for Australia A against Sri Lanka A in a mid-year series.
Steve Smith will lead the Australian lineup in the series opener in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who is still recovering from a lower back problem.
Scott Boland is expected to join Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the pace attack, with uncapped players Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott also included in the squad as fast bowling options. Allrounders Beau Webster and Cameron Green have both been named in the squad as well.
Australian players have been preparing for the Ashes either through first-class cricket with their states or by participating in a series of One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against India.
The England squad for the five-Test series will be led by Ben Stokes.
### Australia Squad:
– Steve Smith (captain)
– Sean Abbott
– Scott Boland
– Alex Carey
– Brendan Doggett
– Cameron Green
– Josh Hazlewood
– Travis Head
– Josh Inglis
– Usman Khawaja
– Marnus Labuschagne
– Nathan Lyon
– Mitchell Starc
– Jake Weatherald
– Beau Webster
