Australia call up Tim Paine as cover

Australia are leaving little to chance ahead of this week's Ashes decider with Tim Paine, the Tasmania wicketkeeper, called into the squad as cover for the injured Graham Manou. While Australia's first-choice glovesman, Brad Haddin, has been ruled fit to play the fifth Test at The Oval, his understudy, Manou, is still experiencing discomfort from a hand injury sustained during the Edgbaston Test, prompting selectors to call in Paine as a precautionary measure.

With Haddin rested and Manou unavailable for the recent tour match against England Lions in Canterbury, Australia called in Chris Hartley, the Queensland wicketkeeper, who had been playing in the Northern Premier League with Chorley. Hartley has now been relieved of his duties, with Paine due to arrive into the UK a week earlier than his one-day squad team-mates.

Haddin, who is still nursing a broken finger sustained moments after the coin toss at Edgbaston, played in Australia's three-day demolition of England at Headingley last week and is expected to present himself for duty at The Oval this week.

"Hads will be fine," said Tim Nielsen, Australia's coach. "He will more than likely be injected like he was at Headingley but he'll train today. Graham just isn't recovering as quickly as we would have liked or as he would have liked, but there's no concern about Hads' fitness or position in the team."