Steve Smith may get late Ashes call-up STEVE Smith is expected to be included as a reserve batsman for the Ashes squad in the wake of Michael Clarke's back injury and David Warner's suspension. Leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed also remains a chance for a late call-up should legislation changing citizen laws pass through the senate, allowing the Pakistani refugee an Australian passport. Both have been named in an Australia A squad to tour Zimbabwe and South Africa in July and August. However, Cricket Australia's high performance manager Pat Howard told the News Limited Network that this does not preclude Smith, Fawad, or any other player in the 15-man A squad from being seconded for Ashes. The 16-man Ashes squad will be reassessed following Australia A's remaining three-day match against Gloucester, which begins on Friday. "The inclusion of any of those A team players at the conclusion of the Gloucestershire game is a possibility," Howard said. We have to get that Gloucestershire game out of the way and then look at people's movements over the next couple of weeks. But we're not going to put barriers in the way of the Ashes team getting the best preparation they can. Among Australia's struggling batsmen Smith has been one of the few good news stories this year and is unlucky not to have been included in the original Ashes squad. A better player of spin than pace, Smith was a reserve batsman on the tour of India and played the last two Tests after Shane Watson was suspended because of "homeworkgate" and then Michael Clarke pulled out with a bad back. Smith finished second to Clarke in the tour batting averages with 40. Named captain of the A tour to Africa, Smith is also the leading run-scorer for the A side on their current tour of the British Isles. Chairman of selectors John Inverarity claimed that A team spinners Fawad and promising left armer Ashton Agar from Western Australia where both in the frame for a possible Ashes call-up. "If we decide to expand the Ashes squad and expand it with a spinner, then Ashton Agar and Fawad Ahmed are the two contenders for that position," Inverarity said. They're both included in this A squad and we look forward to them getting more opportunity in this environment. However both have been out bowled by incumbent Test spinner Nathan Lyon during this short A tour and Agar has been more impressive than Fawad. Lyon has eight wickets at 20 and Agar four wickets at 15 in two first class matches while Fawad managed 1-65 in his only game. The wayward and injury-prone Shaun Marsh has also been included in the A team to tour Africa. "Shaun Marsh is being provided with another opportunity and we are looking forward to his undoubted talent coming to the fore," said Inverarity. It will be a very good opportunity for him.