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Uncapped trio make Australia's UK touring party

Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe and Daniel Sams all in line for international debuts as Australia name a 21-player squad to join England's biosecure bubble

A trio of young Big Bash stars will vie for international debuts while Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon and Marcus Stoinis are in line for recalls for the Australian men's team's first international matches in nearly six months.

Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith have all been named in large 21-man touring party for the limited-overs series against England that was confirmed on Friday and will get underway on September 4.

D'Arcy Short the most notable omission from the initial 26-man preliminary squad CA named for the tour last month while Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Michael Neser and Ben McDermott also missed out.


Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa


Cricket Australia (CA) received government exemptions for the squad to travel to the UK this week for the six-game (three T20s, three ODIs) tour which will be played under strict biosecurity arrangements.

After four warm-up games in Derby, the Aussies will play three T20s at the Rose Bowl in Southampton before three ODIs at Old Trafford in Manchester. Both those venues have hotels on site.

The ODIs will form part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) new ODI Super League, which England kicked off with their recent series against Ireland.


Fixtures: England v Australia T20 matches: September 4, 6 and 8. All games at Southampton's Rose Bowl. England vAustralia ODI matches: September 11, 13 and 16. All games at Old Trafford, Manchester.


The Australian squad members not taking part in the subsequent Indian Premier League (which begins September 19 in the UAE) will quarantine for two weeks when they return home.

Those players and support staff will not be able to join their state teams for the domestic season until the beginning of October.

Stoinis has not played for Australia since last year's World Cup while Maxwell has not featured since withdrawing from international cricket for mental health reasons in October. Maxwell was named for Australia's tour of South Africa last summer but had to withdraw due to elbow surgery.

Short replaced him in the middle order for Australia's most recent ODIs against South Africa and New Zealand, top scoring with 69 in the second ODI against the Proteas in Bloemfontein.

Andrew Tye joins Maxwell and Stoinis in returning to the squad, with the death-bowling specialist included despite not holding a state contract. Tye's last international was in 2018.

Australia claim top spot in Test and T20 rankings

Fellow Western Australian quick Jhye Richardson remains sidelined due to recent shoulder surgery.

Philippe was singled out by Justin Langer earlier this year as a match-winner following a couple of eye-catching seasons with the Sydney Sixers, while Sams (Sydney Thunder) and Meredith (Hobart Hurricanes) have also impressed in the BBL.

"It's a squad with great depth and a sprinkle of some exceptional young players," said National Selection Panel chair Trevor Hohns.

"We are very excited by these young players who we believe are all capable of playing a role in the Australian setup in coming years."

Test star Nathan Lyon is also back in the limited-overs fold having, like Stoinis, played his last game in coloured clothes for Australia during the World Cup.

Australia's experiment with multiple vice-captains appears over with Pat Cummins named as Aaron Finch's sole deputy for the tour. Alex Carey had previously shared the role with him.

"After taking advice and reviewing the leadership of the squad we have decided to revert back to the traditional captain and one vice-captain setup," Hohns said.

"Alex remains a genuine leader within the squad and will continue to provide valuable support to Aaron as skipper. Pat is very much in the same category and someone the entire squad has immense respect for as a person and a player.

"This is not a reflection of succession planning, but rather a decision to return to the traditional leadership set-up that has served Australian cricket so well for generations."

With assistant coach Andrew McDonald heading to the IPL to coach the Rajasthan Royals, Trent Woodhill has stepped into the void having recently left his post as list manager with the Melbourne Stars men's team to join CA's BBL team as a "player acquisition and cricket consultant".

Woodhill remains head coach of the Stars' WBBL side, with their season currently scheduled to begin on October 17.

England, the reigning World Cup champions who knocked the Aussies out of last year's tournament in the semi-finals, could field a full-strength team for the T20 and ODI series.

The ICC's No.1 ranked 50-over side have been forced to split red- and white-ball players into separate squads in recent weeks as Tests against Pakistan have overlapped with ODIs against Ireland.

England on top despite catching slip-ups

England are yet to name squads for their three T20s against Pakistan beginning August 28. It would mark a tight turnaround for their Test players to feature in that series given the final Test against Pakistan is set to finish August 26.

The extra week before the T20s against Australia begin could be enough time for Test players who are also white-ball stars – the likes of Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and Joe Root – to freshen up.

The strict protocols of the bio-secure bubbles in place for each series have complicated adding squad members. This would affect a possible return to the England side for Ben Stokes, who is currently in New Zealand for personal reasons.

2020 Qantas Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: TBC

August 23: Fly from Perth to UK, transfer to Derby

Australia will play three T20 and one 50-over intra-squad practice games

September 4: 1st T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 6: 2nd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 8: 3rd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester