Martin Love will replace Darren Lehmann in the top order and Shane Warne in the slips when his ten-year wait for a test debut ends against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today.
Lehmann joined Warne [dislocated shoulder] watching the fourth test when he was admitted to hospital with an acute infection in his right leg.
Bacteria entered his system through a small blister in his foot, requiring intravenous anti-biotic treatment, team doctor Trefor James said yesterday.
James said Lehmann will remain in hospital for several days, placing him in doubt for next week's fifth and final Ashes test in Sydney.
"You don't wish illness on any player in order to get a game and fingers crossed Darren's going to get well as soon as possible," Love said yesterday.
"It's a very exciting time for me. You look at the Boxing Day test on the television and to actually have a chance of playing in one is really special.
"The runs have been coming quite well for me and I've been hitting the ball as well as I have in my career so the chance to play now is good timing. I'm delighted to get an opportunity."
Australian captain Steve Waugh said 28-year-old Love, whose untroubled, eye-pleasing technique has been likened to that of Greg Chappell, will command respect in the Boxing Day test, one of the great occasions in Australian sport.
Waugh and love
Waugh praised Love, who has scored 781 runs at an average of 130.16 this summer, including 250 and 201 not out against the England tourists for Queensland and Australia A respectively.
"He's always been a very good player, a quality player," said Waugh.
"You can tell that by the amount of time he has to play his shots. He's never rushed and has a very solid technique and all-round game, a very good temperament and I think he'll be ideally suited to test match cricket. I think he'll be a player that will blossom.
"He's got to be confident, the amount of runs he's scored against them.
"Those sort of games are different to test matches, but I've got no doubt he's a test match-quality player. He's waited such a long time -- he knows he's ready and we all know he's ready and the opposition knows he's ready.
"He'll command automatic respect even though he's playing in his first test match."
National selectors will be in a quandary if Love compiles another big score, with Lehmann still searching for his big breakthrough test innings since his return at the expense of Mark Waugh at the start of the series.
Thrilled to
fill in
"At this stage I'm just filling in for him for one game," Love said.
Love has been on the first-class scene for ten years and sheer weight of runs earned him his first baggy green cap ahead of young New South Welshman Michael Clarke.
Waugh confirmed Love, the Queensland No.3, would bat at No.6 and field at first slip in place of Warne, denying it would be too nerve-racking for the debutant to sit around waiting to bat longer than he normally would for his home state.
"I think six is not a bad position to play your first test," said Waugh.
"It gives your time to settle in to the atmosphere and gives you time to get a feel for what's going on out there in the middle.
"He's an excellent new ball player and a lot of times at six you have to face the second new ball."
Love added, "I would bat at 11 if it meant I got the chance to play. As it is, I'll have five very good cricketers going in ahead of me and I hope I can do myself and the team justice.
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