Kolkata: Fast bowler Peter Siddle has been dropped from Cricket Australia’s (CA) central contract list for the 2015-16 season despite being picked for the team’s Test tours to the West Indies and England on Tuesday.
CA’s national selection panel named 19 contracted players in addition to the Test squads on Tuesday.
“Players were chosen based on their performances from July 2014 and the expectation that they will feature in the Australian Test, One-Day International and T20 sides during the forthcoming period,” a CA release said.
Pacer James Pattinson was named in the contracted players list but was left out of the Test squads after picking up a left hamstring injury in a domestic game, which ensured Siddle’s entry into the Test squad.
Cricket Australia said Pattinson’s recovery would be monitored and did not rule him out of being called up for the Ashes tour against England, which follows the two-Test series against the West Indies.
“Scans confirmed that he has a moderate grade injury that will require intensive rehabilitation over the coming weeks,” CA physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, the rehabilitation time for that injury as well as the need to build his workloads means he will not be available for the tour of the West Indies.”
“We will continue to monitor his progress to determine his availability for the rest of the winter,” Kountouris said.
CA national selector Rod Marsh, however, has said Siddle could fight his way back onto the contracted players’ list.
“Anything is possible once we get away. Remember blokes are going to the IPL as well, and Sidds is going to Lancashire (for county cricket during the winter). By time first Test gets underway (in the West Indies), I’m not sure what the line-up will be, I’m not sure anyone is yet,” Marsh said.
“Sidds could very easily jump back into a contract just through sheer weight of being chosen. It only takes a couple of Tests.”
