Sydney, Dec. 10: Australia dropped three players and plucked left-arm spinner Michael Beer out of his debut first-class season for next week’s crucial third Ashes Test against England in Perth.
Marcus North, Xavier Doherty and Doug Bollinger paid the price for Australia’s crushing innings and 71-run defeat to England in this week’s second Adelaide Test, while opener Simon Katich was forced out with injury.
Beer, 26, who is playing his first Sheffield Shield season with Western Australia, gets a surprise call-up in Australia’s hour of need ahead of former first choice Nathan Hauritz.
Steven Smith replaces the out-of-form North at number six in the batting order, while Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, discarded for the second Test, come back into Test reckoning ahead of Bollinger.
Bollinger struggled after taking the early wicket of Andrew Strauss in the England first innings to finish the Adelaide Test with the figures of 1/130.
Phillip Hughes will replace Katich, who will miss the rest of the Ashes series with a torn Achilles tendon.
Squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (vice-capt), Michael Beer, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Shane Watson