Watson set to miss out as Australia seek Ashes revenge

LONDON, July 16: Allrounder Shane Watson is set to join wicketkeeper Brad Haddin as an Australian spectator when the second Ashes test begins at Lord's on Thursday.

Watson will be dropped after a weak performance in the defeat in Cardiff last week, Australian media reported on Wednesday, and will be replaced by young allrounder Mitchell Marsh, the son of former test opener and Australia coach Geoff Marsh.

Haddin pulled out of the Lord's test for unspecified "family reasons," and captain Michael Clarke predicted on Wednesday he will be available for the third test at Edgbaston in two weeks.

Haddin was replaced by Peter Nevill, who will make his Australia debut at 29.

Clarke said Nevill will have little trouble slotting into the team. "Nev's been an important part around this group, and around first-class cricket, for a long time," he said.

Pace bowler Mitchell Starc appeared to have shaken off his latest right ankle injury. He played a full part in the nets on Tuesday.

Watson spent a long time chatting to the Australian selectors on Wednesday, and batted briefly. With paceman Mitchell Johnson, Marsh's expected selection means Australia will start with three Mitchells.

"They (the selectors) made it pretty clear how close it (the decision to pick Watson rather than Marsh) was for the first Test match," Clarke said. "Watto (Watson) brings a lot of experience, a lot of skill with both bat and ball. Mitchell Marsh is in really good nick: two hundreds in his two tour games and he is bowling with pretty good pace as well so, like I say, there's certainly options there.

"The conversation was had before the first test and we will wait and see what the selectors go with for this test match."

If Watson is dropped, it could mean the end of his test career. England exploited his tendency to lose his balance when batting and expose himself to leg before wicket. He was out that way twice in Cardiff, and for the 29th time in tests.

His selection there was a tight call, as Marsh was in compelling form, scoring centuries in both warmup games in England. He has played four tests, but none in an Ashes series.

"There's always speculation when individual players don't perform as well as we would like," Clarke said. "We always put ourself in that position but whatever the eleven the selectors go with, I'm really confident in this squad that we can find a way to win this test match."

England captain Alastair Cook expects his side will remain the same for a fourth straight test.

Moeen Ali has a side strain but Cook said as long as it didn't flare overnight, then the allrounder should be fit to start. Ali batted in the nets on Wednesday. He played a central role in the 169-run victory at Sophia Gardens, hitting 77 in the first innings and picking up five wickets in the match.

"He felt his side a tiny bit after the last game and, with his previous history, the medical team were wrapping him in cotton wool," Cook said.

Cook played down the possibility that England has become the favorite and Australia was the underdogs after Cardiff, pointing out that Australia swept the last series in Australia 18 months ago.

"It's always nice to be underdogs isn't it?" Cook asked.