Dropped Konstas to face England in tour match

MELBOURNE: Dropped Australia opener Sam Konstas will face England in a two-day tour match between the first and second Ashes tests as part of the Prime Minister’s XI squad.

Konstas’s selection for the day-night match in Canberra from November 29 keeps the 20-year-old in the Ashes frame in case injury strikes Australia’s top order batting.

Nathan McSweeney, who Konstas replaced to make his test debut against India in the last home summer, has also been included in the Peter Handscomb-captained squad.

The Canberra match is vital preparation for England to warm up with the pink ball before the day-night test in Brisbane starts on December 4.

The PM XI’s squad will feature mainly young Australian batting talent but veteran paceman Peter Siddle, who turns 41 in the same week as the fixture, will also play in the traditional tour match.

The Ashes starts in Perth on Friday.

Prime Minister’s XI squad: Peter Handscomb (capt), Benji Floros, Campbell Kellaway, Campbell Thompson, Charlie Anderson, Doug Warren, Hugh Weibgen, Joel Curtis, Nathan McSweeney, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle, Sam Konstas, Sam Skelly