Australians unchanged for Sydney

SYDNEY—Australia have named an unchanged 12-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes Test against England, which starts in Sydney next Tuesday.
The hosts, who won by an innings to go 4-0 up in Melbourne, need a win for the first Ashes whitewash since 1920/21. They are set to go with the XI used in the last two games, meaning Mitchell Johnson will be 12th man again. Leg-spinner Shane Warne and paceman Glenn McGrath - whose home ground is the SCG - will bow out of Test cricket.
It will be the first time in seven years that another leg-spinner, Stuart MacGill, has missed a Sydney Test. He has taken 53 of his 198 Test wickets at the SCG, where he averages 24.47, below his overall average of 27.21. "Stuart was carefully considered and remains very much in the thoughts of the national selection panel," chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.
"However, to include two specialist spinners in Sydney would have meant changing the attack which has performed so well in the first four Tests." Meanwhile, Australia coach John Buchanan has urged England to give his team a real fight in the finale. Those guys are trying their damnest as a unit to try and put up performances, The tourists have yet to win a game on tour, a year after beating the Aussies 2-1 to regain the Ashes.
"It's not the side we faced in 2005, clearly there is something missing," Buchanan said. "I'm hoping they enjoy the New Year and come back with a new resolve. "They would like to kick off 2007 very well, as we would, there's one test up for grabs here and I would certainly like to see England come out and just take us head on." Buchanan believes Australia have widened the gulf between them and England after winning 15 and drawing one of the 16 Tests since the 2005 series.
"That was one mission of this series - to re-establish the gap between Australia and what is supposed to be the second best Test side in the world," he added. England coach Duncan Fletcher insists his side gave everything in Melbourne "Those guys are trying their damnest as a unit to try and put up performances," he said. "You go into the changing room afterwards and you just see how despondent they are." Australia squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson.—Online