Hussey named as PM XI captain

Canberra - Retired Australia Test batsman Mike Hussey has been named captain of a Prime Minister's XI to host New Zealand at Canberra's Manuka Oval in October.

Cricket Australia said on Thursday that the October 23 match, which will mark the start of Australia's international summer season, will be played under lights trialing the pink cricket ball proposed for day/night Test matches.

Australia will play three tests against New Zealand starting November 5, including cricket's first ever day/night Test at Adelaide Oval from November 27.

Hussey, who captains the PM's XI for a second straight year, played 79 Tests for Australia from 2005-2013 scoring 6,235 runs at an average of 51.52 and 5 442 one-day runs from 185 ODIs spanning 2004-2012.

The full squad will be named at a later date.