Tim Paine to lead CA XI in the warm-up game against England ahead of the Ashes

Former Australian Test wicketkeeper Tim Paine will skipper the inexperienced Cricket Australia XI when England play the side in a two-match series beginning this month. Paine and Gurinder Sandhu would be the other experienced player in the squad for Cricket Australia XI.

The four-day matches are scheduled to be played in Adelaide and Townsville this month, with talented Will Pucovski, Jason Sangha and Matthew Short also included in the squad for the home side. The total experience of the squad excluding Sandu and Paine would be just 31 first-class matches with England’s match scheduled against the XI before their opener at Gabba.

“These guys now have a really exciting opportunity in front of them to showcase their skills against a world-class England side,” Troy Cooley, Australia’s National Performance Program coach, said. “The Youth Selection Panel has identified these players, in conjunction with our State Talent Managers, as talented cricketers who deserve added opportunities to test their abilities in high-pressure environments,” he added.

The second match between the CA XI and the visiting England XI will clash alongside with the third round of the Sheffield Shield. Tim Paine has been overlooked by Tasmanian selectors as Australian keeper Matthew Wade took up the part in the opening rounds of the competition.

Sandhu has had a tough start at NSW

Like Paine Sandhu has also struggled to find himself a place in the playing XI with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Trent Copeland leading the attack for the New South Wales Shield team.

“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.

The second warm-up game would be the first time that the England squad will play with the pink ball, ahead of the day-night Test that the two sides would play this Ashes.

Cricket Australia XI:

Jake Carder, Jackson Coleman, Michael Cormack, Daniel Fallins, Ryan Gibson, Nick Larkin, Simon Milenko, Tim Paine, Will Pucovski, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Matthew Short.