Sydney, Dec 30: West Australian spinner Brad Hogg was today called into a 13-man Australian squad for the fifth Ashes cricket test against England starting here on January 2. The naming of the left-arm wrist spinner gives Australia the option of going into the final test with two specialist spinners if the Sydney cricket ground pitch offers encouragement. Legspinner Stuart MacGill, who came in for injured Shane Warne, claimed seven match wickets in the fourth test in Melbourne, which Australia won by five wickets today.
If Hogg plays it will be his first test since his debut against India in 1996-97, when he claimed 1 for 69 in Delhi.

The resurgent 31-year-old has already played a one-day international for Australia this summer.

Darren Lehmann will also return from injury to play for Australia against Sri Lanka in a one-day cricket match on January 7 in adelaide, the Australian Cricket Board said today.

"We still have a few days to decide on the eventual make-up of the team but the key to this selection is to create some flexibility, which we now have," hohns said in a statement.

Australia are bidding for their first 5-0 ashes series clean sweep since 1920-21.


Team:
Steve Waugh (Captain), Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Martin Love, Stuart MacGill, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting.