Australia has called up fast bowlers Michael Neser and Sean Abbott to their pre-Ashes training camp, a report said Saturday, as coach Andrew McDonald remains confident pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood will be fit.
Hazlewood has not played any red-ball cricket since injuring his Achilles in the Sydney Test against South Africa in January and only recently made his comeback in the Indian Premier League.
McDonald told the Sydney Daily Telegraph Hazlewood was “building nicely” for the World Test Championship against India at the Oval from June 7-11 ahead of the five-Test Ashes series.
But the in-form Neser and Abbott, playing county cricket with Glamorgan and Surrey respectively, would nevertheless join the squad’s training camp.
“So far so good. He’s pulling up well from each encounter he has in the IPL,” McDonald said of Hazlewood.
“We’re hopeful all four of those quicks in that squad (Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland) are up and available through the whole six Test matches.
“If not, then clearly we’ve got some really handy back-up (Neser and Abbott) that we’re including in the camp.”
Neser was controversially omitted from Australia’s 17-man squad for the World Test Championship final and first two Ashes Tests, but selectors left the door open for the final three matches.
He has been in irresistible form for Glamorgan, taking a career-best 7-32, including a hat-trick, last week against Yorkshire.
He followed up by grabbing 4-40 and smacking 86 against Worcestershire this week.
mp/dva
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