Khawaja in Australian side for 2nd test, Shaun Marsh out
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Usman Khawaja has returned to Australia's lineup for the second test against the West Indies, forcing Shaun Marsh out of the team despite scoring 182 runs in the opening match at Hobart.
Captain Steve Smith said Friday that Marsh was ''extremely unlucky to miss out'' on the second test which begins Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.,
Khawaja has recovered from a left hamstring injury that forced him to miss two tests, but had scored centuries in each of his previous two tests before the injury.
In the first test which Australia won by an innings and 212 runs, Marsh combined with Adam Voges for a record 449-run, fourth-wicket partnership.
Joe Burns had been the other player mentioned as possibly making way for Khawaja, but Smith said selectors wanted continuity with the opening pair of Burns and David Warner.
''Joe's been playing quite good cricket, he scored a hundred only a couple of tests ago,'' Smith said. ''They average 80 as a pair and it's pretty important to have a good opening stand.''
Khawaja, who usually bats at No. 3, would likely have moved up as an opener if Burns had been dropped.
The West Indies will finalize their team after viewing the pitch on Saturday morning, but captain Jason Holder said Carlos Brathwaite was ahead of fast bowler Miguel Cummins as the likely replacement for Shannon Gabriel, who injured an ankle in the first test.
''Carlos is an allrounder and Miguel is just an out-and-out fast bowler,'' Holder said. ''Carlos has been in the squad for a little while now and he's waited for his opportunity, so he's probably pretty much front-line to go in ahead of Miguel.''
Brathwaite has played seven one-day internationals for the West Indies. Legspinner Devendra Bishoo could also be recalled if the pitch indicates it will take turn on subsequent days.
Holder remained optimistic ahead of the MCG test, despite the big loss at Hobart and the moribund state of West Indies test cricket.
''We're just one good performance from turning things around,'' Holder said. ''We can't be negative all the time, we just have to find ways to pick ourselves up.''
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Teams:
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
West Indies (from): Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Rajendra Chandrika, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Jomel Warrican.
