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SELECTION boss John Inverarity considers Twenty20 to be an unpredictable form of cricket, but there were no surprises when he announced the Australian squad for next month's World Cup in sri lanka .
Australia will take the same 15-man squad to Sri Lanka as the one that will play in a three-match series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates two weeks earlier.
- Xavier Doherty
- Brad Hogg
- Glenn Maxwell – for the marquee tournament, which begins for George Bailey’s side on September 19 against minnow Ireland.
Cameron White was also included. The former T20 skipper was dumped this year after a lean run with the bat during last summer’s Big Bash League when he scored just 55 runs at 7.86 in eight matches for the Melbourne Stars.
White also looms as a potential fourth spin bowling option after impressing selectors with his part-time leggies during the recent training camp in Darwin.
The Australian squad took part in several intra-club matches in the northern capital on pitches tailor-made to replicate the spin-friendly decks they are likely to confront on the subcontinent.
"Cameron White in the games up in Darwin bowled well and got some wickets up there," Inverarity said.
"He's just a little bit like (Shahid) Afridi with the spinners that don't turn a lot, but are often quite difficult to get away. He could be handy."
Hogg’s selection caps a remarkable 12 months for the 41-year-old, who this time last year had not played at state level for three and a half years.
The left-arm chinaman bowler earned an international recall in February after guiding the Perth Scorchers to the Big Bash final with his energetic performances.
"He's very fit, he's in really good shape and full of enthusiasm as he always is so we're hoping he does really well," Inverarity said.
"He's continued to do well since the Big Bash League in the IPL and in the other T20 leagues around the world, he's done very well."
Inverarity was confident vice-captain Shane Watson (calf) and exciting speedster Patrick Cummins (side strain) would be fit for the tournament despite picking up injuries during the recent ODI series against England.
Australia has slipped to ninth in the T20 world rankings, but did finish runner-up to England at the last World Cup in 2010.
"In Twenty20 cricket, you can have one side essentially better than the other but…the result can go the other way," Inverarity said.
"We're certainly very serious about doing as well as we possibly can here.
"Every time an Australian teams goes onto the field, they couldn't be more serious and they're trying their absolute utmost. Let's hope it turns out well."
Australian T20 2012 world cup squad:
- George Bailey (c)
- Shane Watson (vc)
- Dan Christian
- Pat Cummins
- Xavier Doherty
- Ben Hilfenhaus
- Brad Hogg
- David Hussey
- Michael Hussey
- Glenn Maxwell
- Clint McKay
- Mitchell Starc
- Matthew Wade
- David Warner
- Cameron White
