09 Jul 2013

Compton snub surprises Clarke

Nottingham - Australia captain Michael Clarke is surprised England have left out opening batsman Nick Compton for the first Ashes Test that starts on Wednesday.

Yorkshire youngster Joe Root will open the batting with skipper Alastair Cook and Clarke told a pre-match news conference that Australia were glad not to be facing Compton.

Compton scored consecutive Test centuries in New Zealand this year but then struggled for form in the return series in England.

The 22-year-old Root hit an ultimately match-winning 71 from 120 balls against New Zealand at Lord's before in May he became the first Yorkshireman to score a Test century at Headingley since Michael Vaughan.

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