Out-of-form Warner makes Australia's Ashes squad

Under-pressure David Warner was on Wednesday spared the axe and included in Australia's squad for the first two Ashes Tests and the World Test Championship final, while all-rounder Mitchell Marsh earned a recall.

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Veteran opener Warner is fighting to save his career after a lean run with the bat that had some questioning whether his time was up.

But the 36-year-old will head to England as part of a 17-man squad that also includes Josh Inglis as cover for wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Marcus Harris and Matthew Renshaw as back-up batters.

There was no room for batsman Peter Handscomb, who featured on the recent Test tour of India and is currently playing county cricket in England.

Chairman of selectors George Bailey all but confirmed Warner - on his fourth Ashes tour - would play the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval from 7 June.

But he would not guarantee Warner's place for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in mid-June.

"Not specifically to Dave, but I think we'll get through that Test championship and then start to have a look at what it looks like," he said when pressed on Warner's longer-term place in the team.

"Different opposition, different surface. We'll work through that."

Should Warner be overlooked, Harris or Renshaw would step in to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.

In the bowling department, spinners Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann, who went to India, were overlooked with Todd Murphy getting the nod as second spinner to Nathan Lyon.

"The UK is a very different assignment from our most recent tour of India and some of the changes are based upon the conditions we are anticipating," said Bailey.

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