Owen gets ODI call-up as Australia name squad for white-ball series against Proteas

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Mitchell Owen’s rapid ascent has continued with him earning a maiden call-up to Australia’s ODI squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa in August.

Australia will be hosting South Africa for three ODIs and as many T20Is in Darwin, Cairns, and Townsville, with Owen included in both squads.

Owen recently played all five T20Is against West Indies and finished with a strike rate of 192.30, and is now very much in contention for a spot in the squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Travis Head and Josh Hazelwood have made a return to both white-ball squads, so as Matt Short, who’s recovered from a minor side strain. In the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh will be the ODI squad captain, which also has Cameron Green, Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris.

Morris returns to an Australian squad for the first time since his last game against Pakistan in Perth in November last year. Sean Abbott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly and Aaron Hardie are not part of the ODI squad.

Moreover, with the T20I squad reduced to 14 members, as well as Head and Hazelwood returning, Fraser-McGurk, Hardie, Connolly and Xavier Bartlett were not selected. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are not in both squads as they continue their build-up towards the home summer which has the all-important five-match Ashes.

“As we build towards the T20 World Cup the flexibility and depth shown in the West Indies, outside of the obvious results, has been a huge positive. The flexibility within the batting order and ability of bowlers to bowl in different stages of the innings were particularly pleasing to see.

“Mitch Owen and Matt Kuhnemann making their respective debuts and the preparation and work done by Nathan Ellis to allow him to play all five matches were highlights. The smaller squad for a home series, along with the return of Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood, see some players not part of the squad for this Top End series, but all remain in the frame moving forward and we feel the entire group embraced every opportunity.

“We expect that to continue through this series, and the New Zealand and Indian series later this year, as we balance continued opportunities for players and the preparation for the Test summer,” said chief selector George Bailey in a statement.

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa

--IANS

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