Australia includes Michael Beer for Perth Test

Left-arm spinner Michael Beer was a surprise selection as Australia dropped Marcus North, Doug Bollinger and Xavier Doherty for the third Ashes Test against England.



Beer, who has made only five first-class appearances, is joined by leg-spinner Steve Smith in a squad of 12.



Pacemen Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson, who played in the first Test at Brisbane but were dropped for the defeat by England in Adelaide, are back in the reckoning.



Left-handed opener Phillip Hughes comes in for the injured Simon Katich.



Smith, viewed as a genuine all-rounder in some quarters, seems certain to start the Perth Test, which begins on December 16, since no batsman has been picked to replace North, Australia's misfiring number six from Brisbane and Adelaide.



Beer will also play, unless Australia desperate to win at Perth to get back on to level terms in the Ashes , pick four specialist seamers.



One man who will definitely play at the Waca is Hughes, who made four and zero in his most recent first-class match but was always favourite to replace Katich.