Peter Siddle was left out of Australia’s playing 11 in favour of Josh Hazlewood for the first Test against New Zealand, set to begin on Thursday (November 5) at the Gabba in Brisbane.
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Captain Steve Smith confirmed that Siddle, who starred when Australia won the final Ashes Test at The Oval this winter, had been left out of the final XI.
Siddle was a stand-out performer at The Oval but Hazlewood’s extra pace and height coupled with clear memories of the five-wicket haul he claimed against India on debut in Brisbane past year edged him ahead in the Australian selectors’ eyes.
David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitch Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle (12th man).
“He is in a good place and hopefully he can have similar results to what he had out here a year ago”.
“I think we saw it past year against India, the way he (Hazlewood) could hit high on the bat and bring those keeper and slips into play I think this and the WACA will certainly suit him”.
“As a leader, my philosophy is to lead from the front”, said Smith, who scored centuries against India in all three matches as stand-in skipper for the injured Clarke last season. “I’d like a few more success like that”.
New Zealand has also settled on their side for the opening Test against Australia with Doug Bracewell grabbing the final pace berth on offer.
Brendon McCullum explained: “They’re both very similar bowlers”.
“It was a bit of a coin toss with them but we were comfortable either way”, New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum said on Wednesday.
“It was obviously my longest run in a row in first-class cricket, let alone Test cricket and I think physically it probably got the better of me toward the back end of the (Ashes) series and my bowling probably showed that”, he said this week.
The second Test will be played in Perth before the Trans-Tasman rivals play against each other in Test cricket’s first day-night fixture in Adelaide.
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Watch the first Test live on Sky Sports 1 from midnight on Wednesday.
