CA XI to play England named

Ashes winners Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers will again be doing their level best to disrupt England's campaign Down Under, but this time it will be with clipboards in hand.

The pair who were integral parts of the side that whitewashed England 5-0 in the 2013-14 summer, were today named as coaches of the Cricket Australia XI squad that will play England in two four-day matches in Adelaide and Townsville before the first Ashes Test.

Harris and Rogers will guide the team in Adelaide, that will feature Australia's first-choice T20 gloveman Tim Paine, who has been left out of Tasmania's early season JLT Sheffield Shield squad with Matthew Wade available.

Paine and NSW Blues seamer Gurinder Sandhu are the only players in the 12-player Cricket Australia XI squad that have international experience, but it is far from a rookie squad the England team will face.

Australia batting coach Graeme Hick will lead the squad in Townsville along with National Performance Programme head coach Troy Cooley.

"Tim Paine, as a player with international experience in all three formats of the game, will bring a lot of experience and leadership to the squad," Cooley said.

"Then you have the likes of Jackson Coleman, Daniel Fallins and Ryan Gibson, who have had a taste of domestic cricket and have been involved in CA XI and National Performance Squad programs, plus younger guys like Jason Sangha and Will Pucovski, who came through the underage pathway last summer.

"These guys have a really exciting opportunity in front of them to showcase their skills against a world-class England side.

"The majority of these players are in the first five years of their professional careers."

Victoria fast bowler Coleman, South Australia spinner Michael Cormack and New South Wales duo Gibson and Fallins all featured in the 2017 National Performance Squad, with Coleman, Fallins and Western Australia batsman Jake Carder representing the CA XI at the JLT One-Day Cup.

Two stars from last summer’s CA Under 19 National Championships, batsmen Will Pucovski (Victoria) and Jason Sangha (New South Wales), get another chance to test their skills against an international outfit after playing for the CA XI against Pakistan in a List A match in early 2017.

Cricket Australia XI tour squad: Jake Carder (WA), Jackson Coleman (Vic), Michael Cormack (SA), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Ryan Gibson (NSW), Nick Larkin (NSW), Simon Milenko (Tas), Tim Paine (Tas), Will Pucovski (Vic), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Jason Sangha (NSW), Matthew Short (Vic). 

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21