Australia names their XI for Ashes opener

Chris Rogers and Shaun Marsh will go head-to-head in a battle to partner David Warner at the top of the order in Australia's first official match of the Qantas Tour of the British Isles.

Australia this evening named the XI that would play the first match against English county side Kent at the Spitfire Ground in picturesque Canterbury.

Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh will both play in the middle order with both allrounders pushing their claims for a berth in the starting XI for the first Test against England in Cardiff on July 8.

READ MORE: Candid Rogers on Ashes 'desperation'

The XI gives few clues to the selectors' thinking regarding the fast-bowling make-up, with Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle – the unit that led Australia to a five-nil Ashes whitewash on home soil in 2013-14 – all given starts.

Warner is rested from the match, as are middle-order batsman Adam Voges, wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's absence means his recently revealed new 'mystery ball' will stay under wraps for at least another week, and ensures Fawad Ahmed will play this match as the sole spinner in the Australian XI, having not played since Australia's warm-up match in Antigua ahead of the two Tests against the West Indies.

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Johnson fires up in the nets // cricket.com.au

For Rogers, Harris and Mitchell marsh, this match will be their second on tour after the trio played in a match featuring Elite International Academy young guns and Hampshire Second XI players on the Isle of Wight last week.

There, Rogers proved he was well over the effects of concussion that saw him scrubbed from the West Indies series by hitting a fluent second-innings 70. Marsh also hit 70, in the first innings, while Harris bowled with impressive speed and customary new ball swing and zip.

Australia will play a second warm-up match, against county side Essex, starting next Wednesday, July 1.

Kent captain Sam Northeast said he expected large crowds to see the tourists in action over the four days of the match, and vowed his side would not be taking it easy on the visitors.

"The Australia game will be a brilliant one and there will be a good atmosphere here," said Northeast.

"Everyone is really looking forward to it and although it’s not ideal coming so soon after the Northamptonshire game, there’s no pressure on us in the game and it’s one where we can just go out and see how good we are and out ourselves up against the team that’s probably the best in the world.

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Rogers in the nets at Canterbury // cricket.com.au

"I think we want to put out a very good team for the game, we don’t want it to be Micky Mouse, we want to go out there and put up a real fight.

"We will have to consider the team as there a few players carrying niggles. Calum Haggett is on his way back whilst David Griffiths has been having more scans and hopefully we will see them back sooner rather than later."

Another Kent shining light, batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond, said he was relishing the chance to pit himself against the international team.

"At the end of the day, everyone wants to test themselves against the world’s best," Bell-Drummond told kentsportsnews.com.

"They have got a lot of quick bowlers, but I’m looking forward to it. If I can play that, I can play anything.

"Hopefully I don’t get too many flat ones from Mitchell Johnson and having faced Shaun Tait I have seen what it could be like.

"I might have to get on the bowling machine and tell them to crank it up a bit."

Australian XI: Rogers, S Marsh, Smith, Clarke, Watson, M Marsh, Haddin, Johnson, Harris, Siddle, Fawad.

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