Ashes 2013: Michael Clarke happy about Nick Compton exclusion
Australia captain Michael Clarke said he was
"happy" batsman Nick Compton was left out of the England squad for
the first Ashes Test.
Compton, 30, who
scored two Test tons in New Zealand this year and an81 and 79
against Australia recently, was dropped in
favour of Joe Root, who will open the batting with Alastair Cook.
Michael Clarke 'happy' about Nick Compton
omission
"I'm happy Nick's
not playing to be honest. He's got a bit of class and has good defence,"
said Clarke.
"We haven't
bowled to Joe Root yet."
The Australia skipper
was speaking at Trent Bridge on the eve of the first Test which begins at 11:00
BST.
Compton initially lost
his place when he was replaced
by Root as opener for the Ashes warm-up match against Essex.
The Durban-born
batsman, grandson of the late England batsman Denis Compton, made his Test
debut in India in November, scoring 208 runs in the four matches at an average
of 34.
The
The Somerset player
shone during the tour in New Zealand earlier this year but struggled in the
home series against the same opposition in May, scoring just 39 runs in four
innings.
Root, on the other
hand, scored a match-winning 71 from 120 balls against New Zealand at Lord's in
May and followed that up with his maiden Test hundred in the second Test at
Headingly to put himself ahead of Compton in the thinking of the selectors.
The 22-year-old has
been in excellent form since making his Test debut against India in December -
averaging 42.40 from 11 Test innings.
"I think what has
impressed everyone is that he's batted exceedingly well," said England captain
Cook.
"He's managed to
change his style and I can see no reason as to why he couldn't handle himself.
"He's a fantastic
young player, he still has some room for improvement, but I think he will be
absolutely fine."
England are odds-on
favourites to win their third successive Ashes series, and Cook said there was
a mixture of "excitement and nerves" among his players.
"Everyone is
desperately excited to be here and we've pretty much arrived now," he
added.
"There's some
nerves floating around but there's excitement too. We have to remind ourselves
just how lucky we are and you have to take yourself out of the moment and enjoy
it."
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