Haddin to lead Australia A

Australian selectors named a strong Australia A squad for a series of four-day, one-day and Twenty20 cricket matches against A teams from New Zealand, India and Pakistan in Darwin and Cairns during July.

The squad, showcasing Australia's depth, contains players with international experience including wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin, the pace trio of Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait and Shane Watson, dumped Test batsman Brad Hodge and opener Phil Jaques. Haddin, who has played 13 ODIs for Australia, will lead the side.

The new chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said."We see the Top End series as a very important tournament for young, emerging talent in Australia and in particular for those pushing for Australian selection in the upcoming Champions Trophy, the Ashes and the World Cup.

"We have selected players with some real experience at international level in Haddin, Hodge, Watson and [James] Hopes, whilst we also have some very exciting young players who have experience with the Australian team.

"The pace attack of Johnson, Tait and Ben Dorey have all played for the Australian side recently, and along with Jaques, will be pushing their claims for the Ashes and World Cup."

The selectors have also included the young off-spinner Daniel Cullen, who played in the recent one-day series in Bangladesh. "Australia is obviously very well served at the moment with spinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, but Dan Cullen has shown us what he is capable of on the recent tour of Bangladesh and Cullen Bailey has had a very strong domestic season and also deserves his opportunity," Hilditch added.

The tournament will be the first time international cricket is played in the top end region of Australia since Sri Lanka played two Tests there in July 2004.

Australia A Brad Haddin (capt/wk), Cullen Bailey, Travis Birt, Mark Cosgrove, Dan Cullen, Brett Dorey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Chris Rogers, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson