Aussies can expect to be bounced

Australia's batsmen could be fed a diet of bouncers after England named Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Chris Tremlett and Boyd Rankin in their Ashes squad on Monday, said former Test captain Nasser Hussain.

The tall quartet of pacemen are all capable of bowling at speeds in excess of 145 kph and will find the hard wickets to their liking when the Test series starts in Brisbane in November.

"We have seen some of the Australian players, their captain Michael Clarke in particular, not play the short ball that well. So they want to go after them with bouncy bowlers," former England skipper Hussain told Sky Sports television.

"That's why they have selected this side. It's full of bounce. You have got Broad, you have got Finn, you have got Rankin, you have got Tremlett."

Hussain said he would have preferred some variety in the selection with the inclusion of swing bowler Graham Onions.

"I personally would have liked to have seen Onions," the 45-year-old said. "Just a different type of bowler, just in case you do need a line and length bowler in case Jimmy Anderson gets injured."

The returning Tremlett, who played his last Test against Pakistan in January 2012, tormented the home batsmen by snapping up 19 wickets when England last toured Australia.

The selectors caused a minor surprise by choosing Michael Carberry, who played his only Test in Bangladesh in 2010, as the reserve opening batsman instead of Nick Compton.

The 30-year-old Compton hit two centuries in New Zealand in March before briefly losing form and missing out on the five-match Ashes series England won 3-0 at home.

"Congrats to all selected for Ashes. Disappointed to miss out. Honored to have been a part of a successful year for England cricket," said the Somerset batsman on his Twitter feed.

Hussain said Compton was unlucky not to be chosen as backup to captain Alastair Cook and Joe Root.

"Compton will be sitting there today shaking his head saying, 'What have I done wrong?'" said Hussain.

Squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Monty Panesar, Gary Ballance, Michael Carberry, Boyd Rankin, Steven Finn, Ben Stokes, Chris Tremlett.

(China Daily 09/26/2013 page23)