Australia name unchanged squad for 2nd Ashes Test

Sydney, Dec 4: Australia have named an unchanged side for the second Ashes Cricket Test against England starting Thursday in Adelaide.

Australian captain Michael Clarke says an unchanged line-up is always a positive sign, reports Xinhua.

“It’s a real positive to see where the team is at,” Clarke said at a news conference Wednesday.

“It’s a nice position to be in when the selectors hand you the same 11.”

There was an injury cloud over Clarke but the middle-order batsman declared himself fit to play in the second Test.

“The ankle feels fine,” he told reporters. “I think not training yesterday obviously gave me an extra day … I feel fine.”

Clarke warned his team that England will come out “bigger and stronger” to make a real challenge in the second Test in Adelaide after their humiliating 381-run loss in the first Test.

“I’m obviously excited by the way we played in Brisbane, but if you look at our results over the past four months, we have no reason to brag,” he said.

Australia squad:

David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (captain), Steve Smith, George Bailey, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner.