Symonds axed from Australia A team

MELBOURNE - All rounder Andrew Symonds’ fall from grace appears to be complete with his omission from an Australia A side to take on Pakistan A in several matches in Queensland this winter.

Symonds and fellow veteran Brad Hodge were both overlooked for the ‘A’ teams with selectors plumping for a group of young players to be captained by Victorian all rounder Cameron White.

Injury-plagued fast bowler Shaun Tait was an interesting selection, after recently being dumped from Cricket Australia’s elite contract list, showing that he remains in the frame for higher honours.

Offspinner Jason Krejza and up and promising Victorian leggie Jon Holland also won spots - signalling that selectors view them as the second and third best frontline spinners in Australia behind the Ashes-bound Nathan Hauritz.

Selectors included boom young limited overs batsman David Warner with a view to looking at him for the 2011 World Cup.

“”The selection panel has, with view to the future of Australian cricket, selected a very young squad to play both the four-day and one-day games,” the Daily Telegraph quoted chairman of the selection committee, Andrew Hilditch, as saying.

The June-July series includes two four-day matches to be played at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, before moving to Allan Border Field in Brisbane for the remaining three one-day matches and Twenty20 game.

The Australia A squad is:

Cameron White (captain): VIC, 25

Adam Voges (vice-captain): WA, 29

George Bailey: TAS, 26

Doug Bollinger: NSW, 27

Ryan Broad: QLD, 27

Burt Cockley: NSW, 23

Callum Ferguson: SA, 24

Brett Geeves: +TAS, 26,

Moises Henriques: * NSW, 22

Jon Holland: VIC, 21

Michael Klinger: SA, 28

Jason Krejza: TAS, 26

Shaun Marsh:+ WA, 25

Clint McKay : VIC, 26

Tim Paine: TAS, 24

Shaun Tait:*+ SA, 26

David Warner:* NSW, 22

*One-day and Twenty20 matches only

+Selected subject to fitness (ANI)