Published: Dec 30, 2016, 02:23 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 30, 2016, 02:23 PM (IST)
Following an innings and 18-run win in the second Test at Melbourne, Australia have called up spinners Ashton Agar and Steve O’Keefe to the squad in place of Nic Maddinson and Chadd Sayers for the third and final Test at Sydney. Maddinson has scored just 27 runs in his four Test innings. It will be Agar and Hilton Cartwright, who will battle it out to get a place in the Australian side to bat at the No. 6 position. Cartwright will become the 450th Test cricketer for Australia, if he plays at Sydney, taking the tally of debutants this summer to 6. Sayers did not play the first two Tests and has been dropped for the final Test.
Agar and O’Keefe have been added to the squad as pressure on first choice spinner Nathan Lyon mounts. Australia skipper Steven Smith had criticised Lyon after he went for plenty of runs in the Melbourne Test. But he bounced back well in the second innings to pick up three wickets. With these inclusions, Lyon might be under pressure to keep his place for the Sydney Test. Agar last played for Australia in the Ashes series in 2013. O’Keefe on the other hand has played three Tests, one of which came at the SCG against West Indies.
Full Cricket Scorecard: Pakistan vs Australia 3rd Test at Sydney
O’Keefe has played two Sheffield Shield matches this season and has picked up 11 wickets at 19.91. Australia have clinched the three-match series against Pakistan already, having won the day-night Test by 39 runs. With the series in the bag, Australia might be tempted to test out a few new players.
Australia squad for third Test against Pakistan at SCG: Steven Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade (wk)
