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Ashes 2017/18: Australian selectors confirm shock recall for Tim Paine

Australia have pulled one of the biggest selection shocks in recent times with forgotten wicketkeeper Tim Paine earning a sensational recall for the first Ashes Test starting next week.

As first revealed by Fairfax Media on Thursday night, Paine, Shaun Marsh and the uncapped Cameron Bancroft have also been named in a 13-man squad for the first two Tests released by Cricket Australia on Friday morning.

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Hohns: Paine 'the best gloveman in the country'

Selection chairman Trevor Hohns says other wicketkeepers did not perform well enough to warrant selection in the Australian Ashes squad. Vision courtesy: ABC News.

Bancroft has come from the clouds to replace the out-of-form Matt Renshaw, Marsh unseated Glenn Maxwell for the No.6 spot despite similar Shield numbers while Matthew Wade and Peter Nevill both lost out to Paine.

Selectors also named South Australia's Chadd Sayers, who is in contention to play in the day/night Test in Adelaide.

There are likely to be six changes to the Australian XI from the side that levelled the series in Bangladesh in September, with Usman Khawaja, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc all returning.

But it's Paine's return that has been the talking point for players around the country.

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The 32-year-old was on the verge of retirement earlier this year but forced his way back into the side after his more fancied rivals failed to seal the deal in the Shield.

Overlooked for the gloves for Tasmania's Shield team, Paine scored a half-century for a CA XI against England, followed by an unbeaten 71 for his state playing as a specialist batsman.

With Nevill, Wade and Alex Carey all failing to pass 50 in their three games, that proved enough for Paine to come back.

The Tasmanian last wore the baggy green in India in 2010 but his career has since been plagued by injury. He will be Australia's third Test keeper in the past 12 months.

"Tim was identified as an international player a long time ago and has always been renowned as a very good gloveman, also performing well for us whenever he has represented Australia in any format," selection chairman Trevor Hohns said.
 
"His batting form in recent outings for the Cricket Australia XI and Tasmania has been good."

Wade has been dumped almost a year to the day of his reinstatement. He has paid the price for averaging just 20 in his last 10 Tests and a poor start to the Shield.

"Matt Wade has been left out of the squad following some inconsistent performances with the gloves and lack of form with the bat," Hohns said.
 
"Unfortunately his run of performances did not improve in the early rounds of Sheffield Shield and we have opted to make a change."

Bancroft, the form player of the Shield, earned his promotion through the weight of runs. He impressed with twin half-centuries against NSW's Test attack before sealing his selection with an unbeaten 228 against South Australia this week.

"Cameron has been a player of interest to us for some time now, having been unlucky to miss out on the Test tour to Bangladesh that was cancelled in 2015," Hohns said.
 
"He is a very talented and tough cricketer who shows a good temperament for Test cricket.
 
"He has thoroughly earned and deserves his call-up following some outstanding performances in the early rounds of the JLT Sheffield Shield competition this season."

Renshaw lost out after managing just 70 runs from six innings though he can consider himself unlucky as he had performed well at Test level.

"We still view Matthew as a player of immense talent, but he is out of form at the moment and we don't feel an Ashes Test match is the best place for him to find form," Hohns said.
 
"We would like him to go back to first-class cricket and push his name forward with the selection panel through big runs."

For Marsh, this will be his eighth Test recall. His career seemed over after losing his CA contract but he, like Bancroft, impressed with a strong showing against the Blues.

"Shaun is playing very well at the moment, having scored consistently in the JLT One-Day Cup and first three rounds of the JLT Sheffield Shield competition.
 
"He is a versatile player who can slot in anywhere in the batting order and will add valuable experience to the batting line-up."

Paceman Jackson Bird and Sayers are expected to miss out on the final XI. Sayers, a pink-ball specialist, is in contention for a Test debut in Adelaide.

"Chadd's inclusion in the squad is with a view to the Adelaide Test and the conditions that we may see there," Hohns said.
 
"He swings the ball with good control and knows the conditions well at his home ground.
 
"He gives us this bowling option if required."

TEST SQUAD: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

PEN PIX FOR LIKELY AUSTRALIAN XI AT THE GABBA

BATTING

David Warner Aggressive left-handed opener who loves the heat of Ashes battle. Courted controversy in the lead-up when he suggested he performed best when he found a way to hate his English opponents. Can virtually win a match on his own in full flight and will be one of the high-priority targets for the England quicks all series.

​Cameron Bancroft The 24-year-old from Western Australia has simply been too good to resist. Smacked a timely double century to add to his already eye-catching returns this season to bullock his way into the Ashes XI. Has been keeping of late but won't need to don the gloves, freeing him to add some much-needed runs at the top of the order. Has all the tools to succeed in the baggy green.

Usman Khawaja Over recent weeks, Khawaja has made it clear he doesn't want to speak about the prospect of The Ashes. Every question has been met with replies about wanting to focus on his next Shield outing. Luckily for the classy No.3, his batting has done more than enough talking. He enters the series in excellent touch, completing the warm-ups with a pair of half-centuries in difficult conditions at Brisbane's Allan Border Field. Wants a massive series to make him undroppable once and for all.

Steve Smith The skipper averages almost 60 in Test cricket and already has a Shield century to his name this summer. Averages 37 against England in his eight home Tests and will want to push that closer to his overall average, starting in Brisbane. Knows he needs to post some big scores, given the fragility of the Australian middle order in recent times. 

Peter Hanscomb Has averaged 50 in his 10 Tests and enters his first Ashes series. Has a curious technique that England will be sure to have picked apart but he's hardly the first batsman to succeed with idiosyncratic stylings. Has looked in decent touch before the Gabba Test and seems ready for what will be the biggest occasion of his career.

Shaun Marsh His career appeared over after he lost his Cricket Australia contract but, to the surprise of many, he gets yet another chance in the baggy green. Last played in India where he made two vital half-centuries but still averaged only 19. Was steady rather than spectacular in the Shield with three half-centuries and no tons but showed his class with 91 in difficult conditions against Australia's Test attack.

Tim Paine The bolter of all bolters, the Tasmanian has been recalled just months after almost retiring to take up a day job. Overlooked by his state, Paine made a half-century against England and another against Victoria this week while his rivals have all failed to pass 50 in the Shield. Overall first-class record with bat modest but has looked sound at international level. Still regarded by many as the best gloveman in the country.

VERDICT: B The proven performers like Smith, Warner and Khawaja are relying on either new faces or bolts from the blue to add to the totals.

BOWLING

Josh Hazlewood The big right-armer headlines a pace unit that could cause nightmares for some of the new English bats, particularly at the Gabba. He finds a length and hits it hard, building pressure and has become a genuine leader for the fast bowlers. Will be doing his best to lure the England top order into outside edges with the new ball. Looms as a major factor for the home side during the series.

Mitchell Starc Can be one of the most damaging bowlers in the world on his day and has been terrorising Sheffield Shield attacks, taking two hat-tricks in the one match with the pink ball. He's able to bowl faster for longer and will be flinging it up on a full length to England. Will be a constant menace if he can get it swinging back late.

Pat Cummins Six years after he made his debut in South Africa, Cummins finally gets a home Test match. He's endured an endless run of but injury but now presents as a far more robust bowler, although he's yet to encounter a five-Test series. Fast and aggressive, he hasn't seen much of the Gabba but it looks a wicket to his liking.

Nathan Lyon Will be called on to bowl long overs but has now become of Australia's most reliable quantities. Was in damaging form on the subcontinent and has been rock solid through the Shield rounds. Lyon has been bursting at the seems for this series to start and wants to play a pivotal role. 

VERDICT: A The fast bowlers play to each other's strength, with Starc in particular capable of getting wickets in bunches if he gets it zinging around. Hazlewood and Lyon will deliver what their captain demands, with Cummins the unknown but capable of a memorable debut Ashes series.

Originally published on smh.com.au as 'Ashes 2017/18: Australian selectors confirm shock recall for Tim Paine'.