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Cricket
Langer left out of one-day squad
SYDNEY, DEC. 31. In- form opener Justin Langer has been left out of the Australian squad for the triangular limited-overs series against South Africa and New Zealand in January and February.
Despite in the best of form, Langer failed to make either the 14-man squad or the 12-man Australia `A' team, announced on Monday.
Langer, who has scored centuries in four of his last six Tests for Australia, was the only member of the current Australian Test squad to miss out on a place in the one-day team.
With Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh now established as Australia's one-day openers, the selectors opted to leave out Langer and bring in one-day specialists Michael Bevan, Ian Harvey and Andrew Symonds. Australian Test fast bowler Jason Gillespie was also left out of the main squad after injury forced him to miss last weekend's series clinching victory over South Africa but was included in the `A' team pending a fitness test.
Australia `A' will play warm-up matches against New Zealand in Brisbane on January 8 and against South Africa in Adelaide on January 10.
The triangular international series begins on January 11 when Australia hosts New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The three teams will play each other four times in a 12- match round-robin phase before the top two sides meet in a best- of-three finals series.
The Kiwis are expected to confirm their squad by the end of the week, while the South Africans have already announced pace bowler Charl Langeveldt, batsman Jonty Rhodes and all- rounder Justin Kemp will replace three, as yet, unnamed players in the squad already in Australia.
The teams: Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan, Andrew Bichel, Ian Harvey, Matthew Hayden, Brett Lee, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Brad Williams.
Australia A: Darren Lehmann (captain), Simon Katich, Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Ryan Campbell, Stuart Clark, Jason Gillespie (subject to fitness test), Mark Higgs, Michael Hussey, Shane Lee, Stuart Macgill, Jimmy Maher.
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