Injury to keep Watson from test

Australia vice-captain Shane Watson will miss the third test in Sydney after sustaining a calf strain during his team’s series-winning rout of Sri Lanka in the second test in Melbourne.

Watson pulled up sore after bowling on day one at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and although he went on to score 83 with the bat, the all-rounder was spared from bowling duties during Sri Lanka’s brief second innings yesterday.

Australia wrapped up an innings and 201-run victory against the injury-ravaged Sri Lankans to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the threematch series.

Glenn Maxwell comes into a 13-man squad named by Australia captain Michael Clarke following the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the skipper himself still under a cloud with a hamstring strain.

Clarke was hurt in Australia’s victory in the first test in Hobart but was cleared to play on the morning of the Boxing Day test and scored 106 to cap his brilliant year. Usman Khawaja is on standby for Clarke.

Clarke said seamer Mitchell Johnson, who was named man-of-the-match after taking six wickets and making an unbeaten 92 with the bat, would also be considered as an all-rounder for the dead rubber test, depending on the Sydney wicket.

Clarke also said seamer Mitchell Starc, who was dropped for the Melbourne test despite being fit and taking a five-wicket haul to help Australia win in Hobart, would be a certain starter for the New Year’s test. Team: Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes, Glenn Maxwell, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Usman Khawaja.