Brisbane, July 5: Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) today announced the Twenty20 and One-day International (ODI) squads for Australia’s upcoming VB Tour of Sri Lanka.
Speaking on the matter of team selectionNSP Chairman Andrew Hilditch said:
“Taking on the talented Sri Lankan team on their home soil in all forms of the game is always challenging but we also see it as an exciting opportunity for both the Twenty20 and one-day squads.”
“The Twenty20 squad is very well balanced with potentially explosive batsman Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson and David Warner at the top of the order combined with Cameron White, Aaron Finch and David Hussey in the middle order. There is also very good all-round talent in Steven Smith, Stephen O’Keefe, John Hastings and Mitchell Johnson providing the side with great flexibility. The fast bowling unit will welcome James Pattinson, who may make his Twenty20 debut for Australia, in combination with the experienced Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson.”
“The one-day squad sees the return of Shaun Marsh who was unavailable for the ICC Cricket World Cup through injury. Shaun can open the batting but also provides flexibility throughout the order and gives the squad great balance. Also included in the one-day squad are James Pattinson and John Hastings who both impressed on the recent VB Tour of Bangladesh.”
Speaking on the omission of Cameron White from the ODI squad, Hilditch said, “Cameron White is unlucky to be omitted from the one-day squad having been a regular and successful member of the squad for the last few series. Cameron lost his position in the side during the recent one-day tour of Bangladesh but the NSP is confident that he will force his way back into the team through weight of runs.”
The Australian team will play two Twenty20 matches, five ODIs and three Test matches against Sri Lankan during the seven-week tour. The Australian Twenty20 squad will depart from Australia on the 30th of July while the ODI only players will depart on the 5th of August.
Those selected as Test-only players for this tour will depart Australia on 16 August. The Australian Test squad will be announced later in July.
The NSP also advised today that Phillip Hughes and Jason Krejza have flown to Zimbabwe early to join the Australia A squad to replace Nic Maddinson (calf strain) and Matthew Wade (back injury) ahead of the ODI Final on Friday. Aaron Finch will also stay on in Zimbabwe for the four-day match component of the tour.
Australia Twenty20 squad:Cameron White (c), Shane Watson (vc), Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Stephen O’Keefe, James Pattinson, Steven Smith and David Warner.
Australia ODI squad:Michael Clarke (c), Shane Watson (vc), Doug Bollinger, Xavier Doherty, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting and Steven Smith.
