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Cricket Australia has announced its T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa, set to begin on August 10. The squads include several changes, with some senior players rested and new talent getting an opportunity.
Young all-rounder Mitchell Owen has earned his maiden ODI call-up after impressive performances in the T20 series against the West Indies earlier this month. The 23-year-old scored 125 runs at a strike rate of 192.30 in that series, including a half-century on debut. He also made headlines last domestic season by smashing 149 runs off just 69 balls in the One-Day Cup for Tasmania.
Fast bowler Lance Morris returns to the ODI squad, having last played against Pakistan in November. Despite battling injuries in recent seasons, Morris remains a promising all-format pacer. He picked up 13 wickets at an average of 20.84 in the last Sheffield Shield season and claimed 15 wickets in the BBL for Perth Scorchers.
Meanwhile, experienced players Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood are back in both formats after being rested for the West Indies series. Matt Short has also returned from injury and is fit to play.
ODI skipper Pat Cummins and pace spearhead Mitchell Starc will miss both series as they continue to rest ahead of the home summer. In Cummins’ absence, Mitchell Marsh will lead the side in the ODI format.
Marnus Labuschagne has retained his place in the ODI squad, despite being left out of the Test series against the West Indies earlier this year.
Some notable exclusions from the T20I squad include Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Cooper Connolly, and Xavier Bartlett. However, Bartlett has been included in the ODI squad. Fraser-McGurk featured in only one T20I match, while Connolly struggled with low scores in his two appearances. Hardie, despite some valuable contributions, has also been dropped.
From the ODI squad that last played in the Champions Trophy, Fraser-McGurk, Connolly, Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Tanveer Sangha have been omitted, along with injured fast bowler Spencer Johnson.
This will be Australia’s first ODI series since the retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell from one-day cricket.
The three-match T20I series will begin in Darwin on August 10 and 12, with the final game scheduled in Cairns on August 16. The ODI series will follow, starting on August 19 in Cairns and wrapping up with two matches in Mackay on August 22 and 24.
Australia T20I squad:
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
Australia ODI squad:
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
