SYDNEY, Sept 20: Australia’s selectors have wielded the axe after the Ashes series loss to England, dropping Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz from the Test squad for next month’s Super Series against the Rest of the World.

Gillespie, Kasprowicz and opening batsman Matthew Hayden were also dropped from the one-day squad as Australia start rebuilding towards the 2007 World Cup with one of their biggest shake-ups in years.

Australia’s chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said the Ashes loss had accelerated the need for changes to the Test side but did not necessarily mean the end of international careers although all the discards are in their 30s.

Test squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait, Stuart MacGill.

One-day squad: Ponting (captain), Gilchrist, Katich, Damien Martyn, Watson, Lee, McGrath, Tait, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Clarke, James Hopes, Nathan Bracken.—Reuters