Australia's Test hopefuls denied one last audition

Cricket Australia has insisted the reasons are logistical, not driven by marketing, but whatever the nomenclature, Australia's Test hopefuls will be denied one last chance to impress the selectors ahead of the first match against India. The squad is likely to be named on November 24, despite a full round of Sheffield Shield games starting on Tuesday, ten days before the Gabba Test.

If the squad was to be named on Friday, after the completion of the Shield games, it would give the players five days to convene in Brisbane and prepare for the first Test, which starts on December 4. Selector Mark Waugh said on Fox Sports on Thursday night that he would have preferred to see the next round of Shield matches before settling on a squad.

"We're sitting down on Saturday to pick the first Test team," Waugh said. "It doesn't actually allow us to look at the second [next] round of Shield matches ... Ideally you would like to see the second round of Sheffield Shield matches, but that's not a decision the selectors have made. Cricket Australia have made that. It's for marketing purposes."

However, on Friday, CA issued a press release that said Waugh had spoken to Pat Howard, the general manager of team performance, and conceded that he used the wrong terminology by saying the early selection was for marketing when he should have said "logistics". CA also noted the same process had been used ahead of last year's 5-0 Ashes clean-sweep.

"If the selectors feel they need more time to select the squad that option is always there," Howard said. However, he also said the selectors looked for consistent performances over a period of time and did not choose players based on their efforts in a single match.

Whatever the reasons, the timing means Australia's cricketers have now done all they can to impress the selectors ahead of the naming of the Test squad. For some of the men who struggled in the recent Test series against Pakistan in the UAE, that is a less than ideal scenario.

Batsman Alex Doolan, for example, scored a century in the warm-up game against Pakistan A in Sharjah last month and played at No. 3 in Dubai, but was dropped for the second Test in Abu Dhabi. Since returning home he made 16, 38, 18 and 8 in two Shield games for Tasmania and next week's game against Queensland at Allan Border Field could have shed further light on his form.

Similarly, offspinner Nathan Lyon had a disappointing series in the UAE and had only one Shield game since returning, in which he collected 1 for 111 for New South Wales. As the incumbent it is likely he will retain his place in the Test squad, but seeing him play against South Australia at the SCG next week could have been valuable for the selectors.

Rod Marsh's selection panel will also need to choose the squad without knowing the likelihood of captain Michael Clarke being fit to play at the Gabba. Clarke is battling a hamstring injury and will not play next week's Shield game. He may be named in an expanded Test squad subject to fitness, and replaced as captain by Brad Haddin closer to the Test if he is ruled out.

The composition of the batting line-up will be especially interesting, with the possibility that Shane Watson will return at No.3 and play in the same side as fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh. If Doolan is dropped, batting replacements could include perennial backup Phillip Hughes or his South Australia team-mate Callum Ferguson, who has started the season with two Shield hundreds and over the past three years has averaged 48.97 in first-class cricket.

Fast bowler Ryan Harris, who is on the comeback trail after knee surgery, will almost certainly be in the squad after impressing on his return for Queensland in the previous Shield round. He has again been named in the state squad for their match against Tasmania next week.