Neser gets call-up for the Ashes

GOLD Coast paceman Michael Neser is the bolter in Australia’s 17-man Ashes cricket squad that contains no second spinner.

Alex Carey, Australia’s gloveman and vice-captain at the World Cup, and left-arm tweaker Jon Holland were notable absentees in the touring party named last night after an intra-squad selection showdown in Southampton.

Selectors, keen to beef up their pace depth in a five-Test series that is being squeezed into six weeks, opted for a battery of Neser, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Former keeper Matthew Wade has been recalled and is in the box seat to play as a batsman at No.6 in the Edgbaston series opener that starts on Thursday, which would be his first Test in almost two years.

Mitch Marsh or Marnus Labuschagne, both included in the squad as allrounders, could yet tip Wade out of the XI.

Neser, who played two ODIs for Australia last year in England, thoroughly impressed selectors during this month’s Australia A tour.

He then set the tone for this week’s low-scoring intrasquad scrap by blasting out David Warner and Marcus Harris in a haul of 4-18.

Neser’s inclusion means Labuschagne will be guaranteed selection on any spin-friendly decks while the tourists will be forced to go with a fourpronged pace attack should Nathan Lyon suffer a lastminute injury before any Test.

Incumbents Joe Burns and Kurtis Patterson, having both celebrated centuries during Australia’s previous Test, were axed in the selection squeeze. Australia’s 17-man Ashes

squad: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Michael Neser, Nathan Lyon The Big Q&A: Coast star’s stunning ton,