Australia retain Labuschagne for test series in South Africa

SYDNEY, Sept 7 - Top-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne was named in the Australia squad for next month's three-test tour of South Africa on Monday despite a run of poor recent form that has called into question his international future.

The right-hander, who was born in South Africa, was dropped from the one-day squad for a tour of southern Africa last week but retained in the 16-strong party which will play tests in Durban, Gqeberha and Cape Town in October.

All-rounder Cooper Connolly, paceman Michael Neser and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann are the additions to the squad that lost a first test on home soil to Bangladesh last month before rallying to level the series.

Labuschagne's 36 runs over three innings in the Bangladesh series had many questioning the seven-year grip he has held on the number three spot in the batting order, although he does have a decent record in South Africa.

"Not shying away from the fact that we'd like some more runs from Marn, that's clear. But we're also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad," chief selector George Bailey told reporters.

"Our batting group in its entirety, not just Marn, probably hasn't been functioning as successfully as we would like, but ... we've continued to win a lot of test matches over that over that period, and that, ultimately, is the key, isn't it?"

Connolly has not bowled for the last few months and Bailey said the 23-year-old had primarily been selected for his middle-order batting.

Neser, also born in South Africa, missed the Bangladesh series because of a calf injury but Bailey was confident the 36-year-old would be fit and firing by the time the series starts in Durban on October 9.

"(He's) sort of just be getting back to the point of getting reintegration back to bowling and getting those loads up over the next few weeks," he said.

"But as it stands, barring any setbacks, the timeline is pretty clear that he should be right to go."

Matthew Renshaw, who was brought in to replace Jake Weatherald as opening partner for Travis Head for the second test in the Bangladesh series, also retained his place in the squad.

The series opener at Kingsmead will be the first test meeting between the countries in South Africa since the infamous ball-tampering affair at Newlands in 2018.

Australia can expect plenty of banter from the crowd but Bailey said he hoped the focus would remain on the cricket.

"I think the crowds are always enthusiastic in South Africa," Bailey said.

"It's been a long time since we've played test cricket over there. It's two pretty strong teams, certainly two very, very strong bowling attacks, and I expect the fans to support that enthusiastically and watch some great cricket."

Squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster REUTERS