Cartwright added for Boxing Day

Australia could have another debutant on Boxing Day after Western Australia allrounder Hilton Cartwright was added to the squad for the second Test against Pakistan.

Cartwright has been added to the Test squad following Australia’s first Test win at the Gabba, as the hosts monitor the fitness of their bowling attack in the wake of an increased workload in Brisbane.

The highly-rated 24-year-old, who earnt a call-up to Australia’s 50-over side for Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series against New Zealand but wasn’t selected for his international debut, has struck 330 runs at 36.66 and taken four wickets 74.75 in five Sheffield Shield games for the Warriors this summer.

He averages 44.50 with the bat in 16 first-class matches overall and 41.93 with the ball.

Australia’s interim Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns said while there are no specific injury worries in the Test squad, Cartwright had been brought into the squad to give selectors the option of including an allrounder to ease the bowling burden on the four frontline bowlers.

“The bowlers got through a high workload in Brisbane and although everyone has pulled up okay, on reflection we wanted to give ourselves the option of including an all-rounder in Melbourne to ease that workload somewhat,” Hohns said.

“To do that we wanted a batting all-rounder, someone to bowl seam-up and capable of batting in the top six as well, and after considering several names we came to the conclusion that Hilton fits that bill.

“We have seen plenty of him, he has performed well this season and we believe that if called upon he will do an excellent job.”

Quick Single: The making of Hilton Cartwright

Coach Darren Lehmann is a noted supporter of having a player in the top-six who can chip in with overs.

Mitch Marsh was dropped from the Test side in November for the second Test against South Africa after a lean run with the bat, and Australia have instead gone with specialist batsmen Callum Ferguson, who was discarded after his debut Test in Hobart against the Proteas, and then Nic Madinson in the No.6 position.

But in his first two Tests, Maddinson has made 0, 1 and 4, potentially leaving the door door ajar for Cartwright.

"The selectors are talking about (including an allrounder) at the moment," captain Steve Smith said following the first Test victory on Monday.

"It's obviously been a very tough Test match for our fast bowlers. They've bowled a lot of overs and we're going to have to see how they pull up.

"They'll be put on ice for the next couple of days and try to get back a bit of energy, and whatever soreness they've got in their body they'll try to get rid of that.

"So I think an allrounder will be talked about, but we'll wait and see which way the selectors go."

Australia's Boxing Day squad: David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers, Nathan Lyon

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