Australia pick fit-again Hazlewood over Siddle for Gabba Test

Australia captain Steve Smith is excited by what the 25-year-old is producing.

This is the first time the two sides have faced off in Test matches since the summer of 2011, where they played out a drawn out two Test series, 1-1. No team has beaten Australia at their Gabba fortress since 1988.

Following his late arrival on tour, the batsman sat out the one-day game against a Prime Minister’s XI on October 23. He did make a breezy 58 against a Cricket Australia XI in Canberra before retiring.

Yet Brendon McCullum knows there is no point talking down Starc’s outstanding recent form and capacity to create collapses.

It all started earlier this year when McCullum criticised Smith in a newspaper column, over an incident in England. England all-rounder Stokes was controversially adjudged out for “obstructing the field” after he struck his hand out at Mitchell Starc’s throw aimed at the stumps during their second ODI against Australia in September.

Smith and Warner are preparing for their first Test series as the nation’s new-look leadership team.

“We saw in England that they invited the England team in for a (dressing room) beer which is something not common – you do it after a Test series”.

Josh Hazlewood was the third paceman in four of the five Ashes Tests against England. However, he was dropped in favour of Peter Siddle for the series finale, with the replacement taking six wickets in an innings victory at the Oval in London. I don’t think there’s much comparison to what we’ve got going on now.

At a press conference, the Australian captain, Steven Smith confirmed the playing eleven which includes Joe Burns at the top of the order and Usman Khawaja at number three.

The last time they were in Australia, the New Zealand cricket team ended up a long ways behind the hosts in their first appearance at a World Cup final.

“He just bowled unbelievably well”.

Mitchell Johnson has a fine bowling record in Brisbane.

Refreshed after a break, the 34-year-old has apparently looked sharp in domestic action. A slight worry with Southee is his lack of overs, but his base fitness will be good.

McCullum, aiming to end New Zealand’s series drought on Australian soil that extends back to Richard Hadlee’s famous Test series triumph in 1985, opted for Doug Bracewell over Matt Henry to support new ball pair Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

Those ahead of him in test rankings are South African speed master Dale Steyn, Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah and English new ball duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

“One or two Australian new boys are still trying to prove themselves”.

“As a leader, my philosophy is to lead from the front”, said Smith, who scored centuries against India in all three matches as stand-in skipper for the injured Clarke last season.

Apart from Smith and his deputy David Warner, the rest of Australia’s batsmen can muster only a combined 29 Test appearances between Joe Burns (two), Usman Khawaja (nine), Adam Voges (seven), Peter Nevill (four) and Mitchell Marsh (seven).