Australia announces squad against Bangladesh for Tests

Australia has included two uncapped players also in the 15-man squad for tour of Bangladesh. They are Cameron Bancroft who is Western Australia batsman and Andrew Fekete, a Tasmania fast bowler. The much-changed side of Australia will play under the captain-ship of Steve Smith who replaces former skipper Michael Clarke. Clarke and other five players took retirement after England defeated Australia 3-2 in Ashes while David Warner is injured. Both the bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood have been sen on rest because they played extensive Test cricket against England and West Indies.

 

Pace bowler Ryan Harris, wicket keeper Brad Haddin and batsman Chris Rogers have also taken retirement besides Clarke while all-rounder Shane Watson has finished Test career. Australia and Bangladesh will play the first Test on 9 October. National selector Rodney Marsh said that all the players going to Bangladesh have great opportunity although issues of injury, form and conditions as well as retirement of five players from the squad that played Ashes has changed the profile of visiting side from the one that visited England.

Australian squad: Steven Smith (captain), Adam Voges (vice-captain), Peter Nevill, Stephen O'Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Andrew Fekete, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon

PCB wants BCCI to clarify on India series in December

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written a letter to BCCI to clarify about the doubtful mutual series this December, hinting out that it was mentioned in memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the two boards last year. The letter was written amidst growing political tension between Pakistan and India and BCCI suggested that bilateral cricket ties should be suspended under these circumstances.

The MOU was the basis of Pakistan’s conditional support for the ICC’s organizational overhaul agreed during the ICC meeting last year and was signed for a total of six series between 2015 and 2023. Shaharyar wrote he hopes that the Indian government will give its approval for the series despite any usual border tension. He referred to the tour when Pakistan visited India in 1999 although political activists had created issues and as well as India visited Pakistan in return in 2003-2004 despite security issues, so holding of the series would help both the countries to reduce the tension.