Bolters and big names: Shocks galore as cricket experts name their 17-man Ashes squads

With the international schedule officially wrapped up, attention turns to the year ahead — including a massive Ashes campaign. Inside, the finest cricket brains in the land name their squads.

• We can beat anyone in the world, say emboldened Aussies
• The man who can bring Ashes urn home

South Australian swing-man Daniel Worrall, Queensland’s ‘Duke of Hazzard’ Michael Neser and the man dubbed by Kerry O’Keeffe as the ‘Holy Tomato’ have been tossed up as shock Ashes bolters.

And what about Peter Handscomb touring England as a back-up wicketkeeper?

Tim Paine says he’s been obsessing over the Ashes for the past six months and with another six months still to go, our Fox Cricket and News Corp experts have selected their squads to do battle with England.

Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja all scored centuries against Sri Lanka. Have they done enough to earn Ashes spots? Picture: Getty

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Australia has oodles of time left until they pick their 17-man party to fight for the urn, and form in Sheffield Shield, Australia A cricket and the World Cup — as well as injuries — could drastically change the landscape between now and the first Test on August 1.

But here goes…

MIKE HUSSEY, Fox Cricket

David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Chris Tremain, Jon Holland, Alex Carey

IAN HEALY, Fox Cricket

Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Chris Tremain, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Tim Paine (capt), Alex Carey

KERRY O’KEEFFE, Fox Cricket

David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Daniel Worrall/Michael Neser

Daniel Worrall is generating a lot of attention for his wizardry with the Dukes ball. Picture: Getty

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MICHAEL VAUGHAN, Fox Cricket

Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine (capt), Peter Handscomb, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Daniel Worrall, Jon Holland

BRENDON JULIAN, Fox Cricket

David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Daniel Worrall, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Renshaw, Lloyd Pope

ROBERT CRADDOCK

David Warner, Joe Burns, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Daniel Worrall

Australia's captain Tim Paine has a big job ahead of him. Picture: AFP

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BEN HORNE, News Corp

Steve Smith, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Joe Burns, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine (capt), Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson

RUSSELL GOULD, News Corp

Tim Paine (C), David Warner, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschange, Will Pucovski, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson, Peter Handscomb

PETER LALOR, News Corp

Joe Burns, David Warner, Marcus Harris, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade

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