Buckingham replaces sore Neser for PM's XI clash

Michael Neser has been withdrawn from the Prime Minister's XI match against Pakistan with soreness as a precaution ahead of the Test summer.

Jordan Buckingham will replace the 33-year-old paceman in the side for the four-day game at Manuka Oval beginning on Wednesday.

"We're taking a cautious approach with Michael," said chief selector George Bailey.

"The elevated risk of potentially another large bowling load in the four-day PM XI's fixture was deemed too high.

"We want to ensure that should the opportunity arise to play more Test cricket this summer that we are giving him the best chance to be ready to perform."

Queenslander Neser's most recent of his two Test appearances came against the West Indies in Adelaide last summer, taking five wickets for the match, and he was also called up to join the Australian squad for the World Test Championship final and early stages the Ashes tour on the back of his form for county side Glamorgan.

But West Australian Lance Morris, having recovered from a back injury, has usurped him in the squad for the first Test of the home summer against Pakistan from December 14 in Perth, joining Scott Boland as a back-up pace option.

Brisbane Heat medical staff are still weighing up Neser's Big Bash availability ahead of their KFC BBL|13 opener against Melbourne Stars on Thursday night, but it's understood he is set to play with a four-over spell in T20 cricket viewed as a much smaller risk compared to potentially 30 overs in a four-day game.  

The Prime Minister's XI match doubles as a legitimate selection trial to replace David Warner at the top of the order after his planned Test retirement following the New Year's match against Pakistan at the SCG.

Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft – the three leading candidates to fill Warner's spot – have all been selected.

Buckingham joins Nathan McAndrew and Mark Steketee as one of three frontline quicks for the PM's XI, with allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster also pace options.

Buckingham's claimed a six-wicket haul on his Australia A debut against New Zealand A in April, which he followed with five for the match against the same opposition in Brisbane in August.

The 23-year-old South Australian is enjoying another breakout Marsh Sheffield Shield campaign with 14 wickets at 25.57 from his three matches this season, including a career-best 7-71 against Tasmania in October.

After the Prime Minister's XI fixture, Buckingham will join the Heat as a replacement player for the season having bowled the Redbacks to a memorable three-run win during his last visit to the club's Gabba home with the winning wicket of Test opener Usman Khawaja in a heated Shield thriller last month.

Pakistan tour of Australia

Prime Minister's XI v Pakistan XI: December 6-9, Manuka Oval (10.30am AEDT)

First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium (1.20pm AEDT)

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG (10.30am AEDT)

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (10.30am AEDT)

Prime Minister's XI squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Jordan Buckingham, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi