Five players unlucky to miss ODI/T20 squads

Chris Lynn

Such is the fascination surrounding Chris Lynn that his omission from the ODI squad is a major talking point despite the Queenslander having previously only played one international 50-over game.

But his inclusion in Australia's squad for their most recent ODI series against England in January, despite playing just three Big Bash games that summer at less than 100 per cent fitness, reflected how highly selectors think of him.

He's played 10 consecutive IPL matches over the past month, but his troublesome shoulder means he still struggles to throw and cannot dive, and it's understood selectors believe he's too much of a liability in the field.

The Queenslander will return to Australia after the IPL and, if he's able to strengthen his shoulder in the off-season, could return to domestic one-day cricket at the start of the summer.

George Bailey

Some had tipped the ongoing absence of former one-day captain Bailey to come to an end given Australia are desperately in need of both middle-order runs and leadership with Steve Smith and David Warner suspended.

After Bailey's ODI axing in 2016, seven players have been tried at No.4 with a collective average of 23 in 19 matches while Bailey has averaged nearly 70 in List A cricket for Tasmania and Hampshire in that time.

That he's been overlooked again, despite the recent shake-up of the Aussie team, would suggest his chances of featuring in a second World Cup are all but over.

Adam Zampa

His omission from Cricket Australia's national contract list may have served as a warning but Zampa's exclusion from the limited-overs squads is nonetheless a major blow.

Less than 18 months ago, he was up there – statistically – as one of the best one-day spinners in the world having taken more ODI wickets than any other bowler in 2016.

But the leggie has since struggled to match those exploits; he's taken 12 wickets at 52 (economy rate of 6.16) in 12 games since the beginning of 2017.

"Adam hasn’t performed to the level we would have liked in recent times and we see this as a good opportunity for other spinning options to press their case ahead of the Cricket World Cup," selector Trevor Hohns said today.

The writing might have been on the wall in the shortest format as well having been dropped after the first game of Australia's successful T20 tri-series last summer, but he has good cause to feel a little aggrieved at being left out for fellow wrist-spinner Mitchell Swepson in Australia’s T20 squad.

In 13 T20 Internationals, Zampa has 17 wickets at 15.17 (economy rate of 6.00) - terrific numbers from a decent sample of games.

Either way, he'll have the chance to push his case on UK soil in the coming months when he joins Essex for their county T20 Blast campaign in July.

Usman Khawaja

The suspensions of Steve Smith and David Warner left two glaring holes at the top of Australia's batting order, either of which Khawaja could have conceivably filled.

But selectors have looked elsewhere, with Shaun Marsh and D'Arcy Short the major beneficiaries of the absence of the side's two best batsmen.

Khawaja has had some success in the 50-over format for Australia, although he's been unable to nail down a permanent spot and hasn't scored a ton in 18 games.

While he averages over 40 in eight innings opening the batting, his numbers at No.3 (average of 17.50 in seven innings) are less impressive and the versatility of the likes of the likes of Short, Travis Head, Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell would likely have counted in their favour.

Cameron White

The standout domestic 50-over performer in recent seasons, White was always a longshot for this ODI squad after failing to lock down a spot when handed an unexpected lifeline in January against England.

In three innings, he made 15 not out, 17 and 3, batting at first drop for the latter two knocks before being dropped for the final match of the series.

It was hardly an extended run but White himself admitted after the campaign his chances of another crack in national colours were slim.

Selectors could have been tempted by White's strong ODI record in the UK (405 runs at 45 in 12 games) though he hasn't played there in nearly eight years.

Qantas tours of England and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Monday, July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

Tuesday, July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Wednesday, July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Thursday, July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

Friday, July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 8: Final