Ashes series: Ferguson, George will have a head start

SYDNEY - Callum Ferguson and Peter George will have a two-match start over the rest of players when it comes to selecting the players for the forthcoming Ashes series against England.

As South Australians and emerging players in the national squad, Ferguson and George should get the chance to face the English tourists twice in warm-up matches before the first Test at the Gabba - a luxury unlikely to be open to anyone else, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

They will be pitted against England in a tour match at Adelaide from November 11-13 and will then likely appear for Australia A against the tourists at Hobart from November 17-20.

“It would be nice to be involved in both of those games,” Ferguson was quoted, as saying.

“It’s been a while for me (since I’ve played in) the longer format so I can’t wait to get out there and have a crack at the red ball, it would be great. If things turn out that way hopefully I’ll be able to get some runs on the board against them and get my summer off to a good start from an individual point of view,” he added.

Ferguson is seeking a fast start to the home summer after missing a year due to a serious knee injury, then comically having his international return delayed further by a rain ruined limited overs series in India.

The extra gym work has maintained a strong rate of progress for Ferguson’s reconstructed right knee, and he can now happily report equal strength on both sides of his body.

“Definitely I’m fitter, I had to be I guess, I need to get my knee to a point where it is stronger than it was and we’re pretty close to that at the moment,” he said.

“My right leg is matching my left leg which is good, if not probably a little bit more stable, so it’s in a good place and my fitness in general is probably at a higher level than it was when I got injured.” (ANI)