Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh (R) and Joe Burns (L) run between the wickets during the first day of a three day practice match between Australia and a Sri Lankan XI team at the P. Sara Oval Cricket Stadium in Colombo on July 18, 2016. Pallekele. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images

With the first Test of the summer less than a week away, we've picked our preferred XI for the first match against the Proteas at the WACA, beginning on November 3.

We have opted to hand the opening batting spot back to Joe Burns following his axing at the end of the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. Burns scored an impressive century against a solid New South Wales batting line-up in the opening match of the Sheffield Shield season this week and deserves another chance at the top of the order.

Usman Khawaja is also back, after he scored 79 for Queensland in the same match.

Shaun Marsh retains his spot, however, down the order at No.5, while his brother Mitch comes out of the side and is our 12th man.

Veteran quick Peter Siddle wins the third paceman spot ahead of Jackson Bird, while Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon round out the bowling stocks as expected.

  1. David Warner
  2. Joe Burns
  3. Usman Khawaja
  4. Steve Smith (c)
  5. Shaun Marsh
  6. Adam Voges
  7. Peter Nevill (wk)
  8. Mitchell Starc
  9. Peter Siddle
  10. Nathan Lyon
  11. Josh Hazlewood

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