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Aussies and Kiwis both stewing over SCG line-ups

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2nd January, 2020
15

Australia are yet to name an XI for the third Test, while three sick New Zealand players are racing the clock to prove they are ready to play at the SCG.

Australia and New Zealand will both wait until the last minute to reveal their respective XI for the third Test at the SCG, albeit for vastly different reasons.

Tim Paine and Justin Langer have suggested Australia are likely to name an unchanged side after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series with victory at the MCG.

However, a last-minute pitch inspection could prompt a rethink that would result in Queensland leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson making his Test debut.

“We’ll have a look in the morning,” Paine said in his pre-match press conference.

“We’re just weighing up whether we play the second spinner and if we did, how we would do that.”

The visitors’ plans have been thrown into disarray by the fact captain Kane Williamson, batsman Henry Nicholls and spinner Mitchell Santner are all sick.

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Williamson and Nicholls both failed to train on Wednesday and Thursday because of flu-like symptoms.

Former NSW off-spinner Will Somerville, who has spent the majority of his life in Sydney but made his Test debut for New Zealand in 2018, remains in the mix for a call-up.

“We’ll have a look at the wicket and assess that. I’m sure we’ll have a few options depending on who’s right and who’s not,” opener Tom Latham said.

© AAP

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