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Cricket Australia names surprise selection for Test squad to face New Zealand

Xinhua, January 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Chadd Sayers has been revealed as the latest uncapped player to be included in Australia's Test cricket team, after selectors announced the 14-man squad to take on New Zealand next month.

The squad, announced for the two Test tour on Wednesday, will also feature Tasmanian quick Jackson Bird and Victorian Peter Siddle, while Scott Boland and spin bowler Steve O'Keefe were omitted from the squad that faced the West Indies in Sydney.

National selector Rod Marsh said Sayers, 28, had impressed for South Australia at state level for some time, while Bird had earned the re-call to the national squad after more than a year on the sidelines.

"We are delighted to welcome Chadd Sayers into the squad for the first time and his inclusion is thoroughly deserved," Marsh said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Both he and Jackson Bird can swing the ball and operate at a lively pace and we believe both will be well suited to the conditions we are likely to encounter in New Zealand."

Earlier this month, Australian coach Darren Lehmann said the greener New Zealand wickets were suitable for bowlers such as Bird, who can swing the ball and move it off the wicket.

He said express pace was not required to work magic on 'green top' wickets.

"I think New Zealand will be different, where it moves around a little bit," Lehmann said.

"Pace is not the biggest thing for us. It's actually good control and (putting) the ball in the right areas."

Meanwhile Marsh said there were no changes to the batting line-up which was incredibly successful against the West Indies and New Zealand earlier in the summer.

"The batting line-up for the tour picks itself with all of the top order having produced excellent results during this summer's Test series against New Zealand and the West Indies," he said.

The tour begins in Wellington on Feb. 12, with the second and final match to take place in Christchurch beginning on Feb. 20.

Australia Test squad: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Shaun Marsh, Chadd Sayers. Endit