Not just a one-day trick pony, Faulkner firms for Ashes contention Dark horse: James Faulkner has firmed as an Ashes candidate. An all-rounder who selectors had seemingly pigeonholed as a limited-overs specialist has surged into contention for the Ashes. Tasmanian James Faulkner leapfrogged recent Test debutant Moises Henriques to earn one of Cricket Australia's contracts for the 2013-14 year, from July. Of the nine players who earned contract upgrades in the current 2012-13 year, due to weight of national-team appearances, Faulkner was among the six additions to the base list this time around, alongside Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell and Clint McKay. The contract list was expanded from 17 to 20 but the retirements of Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey meant there was only a single casualty from this year's changes: out-of-favour Victorian batsman David Hussey. Steve Smith and Aaron Finch joined Henriques as recently upgraded players to miss out on a new deal, despite Smith's success when introduced late in the disastrous Test series in India. The other notable absentees were Usman Khawaja, whose presence on the periphery of the Australian squad meant he has not played a first-class match since the end of November, and Jackson Bird, the now-injured seamer whose man-of-the-match performance in Sydney in January against Sri Lanka capped a stunning introduction to Tests. Injury-plagued fast-bowlers Pat Cummins and Ryan Harris had their contracts renewed, as did reserve wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and now-fringe paceman Ben Hilfenhaus. With Australia due to play 13 Tests - including away-and-home Ashes series - and 26 limited-overs internationals in the July-to-June period, the squad theoretically has been skewed to reflect a priority for Tests. Faulkner does not turn 23 until later this month but the strong faith shown in him by Tasmanian selectors has meant he has already played 95 domestic matches. In November selectors picked an Australia A team laden with all-rounders, including Henriques and John Hastings, to face South Africa, but ignored Faulkner. While Henriques' skills are skewed in favour of his batting Faulkner is a better bowler, which is reflected in the left-armer's Shield record of 125 wickets at 22.34. His batting average is just below 30 but the Tigers have been prepared to bat him in their top six. The player who started the season behind only Shane Watson in Australia's all-rounder pecking order, Andrew McDonald, has regained full fitness but will play only Twenty20 for the next two months, in the Indian Premier League, as will Faulkner. Chief selector John Inverarity said he expects Watson, who is also IPL-bound, to resume bowling "quite soon" and expects him to be doing that in both the Champions Trophy and Ashes. Inverarity also confirmed the burly Harris, who missed all but the last month of the domestic season due to injury, was in strong contention to feature in the Ashes. Who's in and who's out: In: George Bailey, Michael Clarke, Ed Cowan, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson. Out: Ricky Ponting (retired), Mike Hussey (retired), David Hussey (omitted).