New skipper, new face in Australia's XI for tour match

World Cup hero Alex Carey will take the gloves in Australia's three-day tour match against Derbyshire starting tomorrow, while Usman Khawaja will captain the side in the absence of skipper Tim Paine, who has been rested.

Paine, batsmen David Warner and Travis Head as well as bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon will all miss the final tour match of Australia's Ashes campaign, the group of seven given a rest before the final two Tests of the series.

The absence of seven squad members leaves the 17-player group short a man for the tour match, so Carey has been called in from county duty with Sussex, with whom he's been playing since the end of the World Cup last month.

The news came as spinner Nathan Lyon was given the all clear by medical staff after he sent a scare through the Aussie camp at training on Wednesday. The off-spinner hobbled from the ground after appearing to turn his ankle during a game of touch football, but was later cleared of any injury.

While Carey has signed with Sussex as a T20 player, the left-hander also made his County Championship debut 10 days ago and posted scores of 56 and 69 not out against Middlesex as a specialist batsman.

Carey has not been formally added to Australia's Ashes Test squad and will rejoin Sussex once the tour match concludes on Saturday.

While Matthew Wade and Cameron Bancroft both have extensive wicketkeeping experience and could have taken the gloves in Paine's absence, it was determined they should focus on their batting this week, and Carey offered a ready-made keeping replacement.

Khawaja, who will captain the side, returns to the County Ground that he called home for four games with Derbyshire in 2011, when he scored 319 runs with a top score of 135.

Steve Smith will also play in Derby, with the right-hander looking to prove his fitness for the fourth Test after missing the match at Headingley due to concussion.

Mitch Starc, Peter Siddle, Michael Neser and allrounder Mitch Marsh will form the pace attack, while leg-spinning allrounder Marnus Labuschagne will be the side's spin-bowling option.

Australia’s batting order for the match is yet to be confirmed.

Australia face Derbyshire in a three-day game over Thursday, Friday and Saturday before heading north to Manchester for the fourth Test, which starts September 4.

It's the second time this northern summer Derbyshire will face the Australians having played Australia A in a 50-over contest in June.

In that match, Wade scored the fastest List A hundred by an Australian from just 45 balls, finishing with 155 from 71 balls, 14 fours and 11 sixes.

The entire squad (minus Cummins) had a run around on Wednesday at the County Ground, with Bancroft leading a yoga session before a match of touch football between skins and shirts. 

Australia XI to face Derbyshire: Usman Khawaja (c), Cameron Bancroft, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, Matthew Wade

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England defeat Australia by one wicket at Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval