Uncapped Notts spinner Patterson-White earns England Test call-up for South Africa

  • 28-year-old rewarded for county performances

  • Bashir to tour with Lions along with seamer Carse

The uncapped Nottinghamshire spinner Liam Patterson-White has been rewarded for his most productive County Championship season with a call-up to England’s squad for their first red-ball assignment of the winter, the three Tests against South Africa that start in Johannesburg next month.

The potential importance of spin bowling in South Africa was demonstrated in their recent home series against Australia, which the hosts won to propel themselves to No1 in the ICC rankings and in which their most successful bowler was Simon Harmer, who took 14 wickets at 29.35. England will face contrasting conditions, particularly in their first two Tests, and have selected further spin-bowling options in Dan Lawrence, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, who returns after missing England’s most recent Test series, against Pakistan, through injury, But Shoaib Bashir, a fixture of the country’s Test squads since he made his debut in India in 2024, will travel only with the Lions.

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Australia selectors make early call to axe Marnus Labuschagne from Test squad

  • Under-fire batter will not feature in upcoming New Zealand series

  • ‘Still possible’ he will be recalled for tours to India and England

Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from Australia’s Test squad. Chairman of selectors George Bailey confirmed on Monday that Labuschagne would be omitted from Australia’s yet-to-be-named squad for the first Test against New Zealand.

Australia’s next Test begins on 9 December in Perth, but Bailey and his panel have made an early call to put Labuschagne out of his misery. Bailey told reporters the out-of-form star wouldn’t be considered for the entire four-Test series against New Zealand.

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‘I haven’t thrown anyone under the bus’: Usman Khawaja defends timing of ball-tampering revelations

  • Former Test opener issues explanation on social media

  • Khawaja says he would ‘not deny’ everyone knew about sandpaper

Usman Khawaja insists he has not thrown anyone under the bus with his bombshell ball-tampering revelations that have rocked Australian cricket.

One day on from claiming sandpaper had been used in the Test prior to Cape Town 2018 and the entire team were responsible, Khawaja defended the timing of his claims.

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