ACB announces 12-player squad for assimilation tour of India
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today announced a squad of 12 players to travel to India on Thursday (20 March), for an eight-day tour to experience subcontinent playing conditions.
Australian Cricket Board
18-Mar-2003
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today announced a squad of 12 players to travel to India on Thursday (20 March), for an eight-day tour to experience subcontinent playing conditions.
The trip is part of the ACB's annual assimilation tours, which provide promising Australian cricketers the opportunity to train and play under the unique conditions of the sub-continent.
Chairman of the National Selection Panel, Trevor Hohns, selected the following players to take part in the tour:
| Name | State | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Campbell | WA | 31 |
| Lee Carseldine | QLD | 27 |
| Beau Casson | WA | 20 |
| Michael Clark | WA | 24 |
| Xavier Doherty | TAS | 21 |
| Adam Griffith | TAS | 25 |
| Brad Hodge | VIC | 28 |
| Michael Hussey | WA | 27 |
| Marcus North | WA | 23 |
| Clinton Perren | QLD | 28 |
| Chris Rogers | WA | 25 |
| Damien Wright | TAS | 27 |
All squad members boast first-class experience, while four players have represented Australia A.
Western Warriors players Ryan Campbell and Michael Hussey, and Victorian Bushrangers' batsman Brad Hodge represented Australia A in its series of one-day matches against Sri Lanka and England this season.
This trio, along with Warrior Chris Rogers, was also named in the Australia A side announced yesterday (17 March), to contest six limited-over matches and two three-day games against South Africa A next month, following the tour to India.
Tasmanian Tigers pace bowler Damien Wright represented Australia A in its Travelex tour to South Africa in September 2002.
The squad will play two limited-over games and a two-day match during the eight-day tour (20-28 March).
Hohns said the assimilation tours were important to strengthen Australia's ability to compete at home and overseas.
"Playing cricket in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is certainly different to the conditions our players experience here in Australia," Hohns said.
"We have a duty to prepare players, particularly our developing cricketers, for the conditions, should they one day tour the sub-continent in a national side.
"Providing the opportunity for players to familiarise and appreciate the conditions first-hand is an invaluable experience for them."
The squad will travel with Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy (CBCA) head coach Bennett King.
This is the fifth squad the ACB has sent to India for training purposes as part of an agreement between the CBCA - a program of the AIS - and the MRF Pace Foundation.
The agreement, with the assistance of the Australia-India Council, has also seen players from the MRF Pace Foundation tour Australia.
Australian players to have taken part in recent assimilation tours to India include Australian players Matthew Hayden, Shane Watson and Andrew Symonds.