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Wade ready for Ashes if given chance

The in-form wicketkeeper-batsman says he is ready to go if selected in the squad for the upcoming Ashes series against England

If Matt Wade hadn't already underlined his Ashes credentials, on Sunday in Canterbury he put them in bold and maybe italics, just to be sure.

Wade hit 114 on day one of the Australian XI's first-class match against a strong England Lions team in front of national selector Trevor Hohns.

The Tasmanian was measured early as he adapted to the conditions and the pronounced slope of the Spitfire Ground before upping the tempo to reach his century after tea from 122 balls batting at No.5.

Hohns said on match eve the National Selection Panel is looking to take 16 for the Ashes tour, which leaves perhaps one spot for a reserve batsman and back-up wicketkeeper, roles Wade is confident he could fill if given the chance. 

"I think I can do both roles," Wade said after play in Canterbury where his side is in a commanding position at 4-362 at stumps. 

"I've played 22 Test matches, they’ve all been as wicketkeeper. 

"If I manage to get a spot on the tour as that dual role (keeper-batter) and if anything happens to Tim (Paine, Test captain and gloveman) I feel I can stand in and catch them if they need me to. 

"And vice versa, I'm playing more as a batsman at the moment as well.  

"Coming here I thought my opportunity would be in that dual role if they wanted to take some extra bowlers or allrounders. 

"I'm not sure if that's the case but I feel I can do both if I'm needed."

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In addition to his century on Sunday, Wade blasted hundreds against Northamptonshire and Derbyshire on Australia's one-day leg of their tour of England, the latter innings the fastest List A hundred by an Australian from just 45 balls.

Wade's main opposition to being Paine's understudy for the Ashes appears to be Australia's one-day wicketkeeper and vice-captain Alex Carey.

Carey had a breakout World Cup campaign where he led the tournament with 20 dismissals with the gloves and scored 375 vital runs that saw him elevated from No.7 to No.5 for the semi-final against eventual champions England.

But Wade holds a superior first-class record than the South Australian.

Wade averages 40.35 over his career of 131 matches and scored 1021 runs in the Sheffield Shield competition last summer, compared to Carey's average of 29.43 from just 29 games.

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Carey's international commitments saw him play only two Shield games last domestic season but he did post 110 not out against NSW at the SCG last December. 

It will be a tight race, but with only 16 players set to be picked for the Ashes, Wade's chances for a second Ashes tour to England – after the 2013 campaign – might have gone up.

"That might be a good thing if they are looking to take 16, then they're probably looking for someone to bat and keep," he said.

"I feel like I can do that, so fingers crossed I get the tap on the shoulder.  

"If not I'm comfortable with where my game is at and comfortable with what I've done on this tour."

Australia A tour of the UK

Get live scores and all the latest news from Australia A's tour of the UK on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A beat Northamptonshire by six wickets

June 23: Australia A beat Derbyshire by seven wickets

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, match abandoned

June 30: Australia A beat Gloucestershire by five wickets

July 2: Australia A beat Gloucestershire by nine runs

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A beat Sussex by 10 wickets, Arundel

July 13-16: Australian XI v England Lions, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Hampshire