Melbourne [Australia], February 3 (ANI): Australia opener Travis Head has been released from the squad for the remaining ODI and T20I games against West Indies in order to help him “refresh” following a busy Test summer.
As per cricket.com.au, Josh Hazlewood has been added to the squad for the second ODI against West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Head will not be featuring in the next two ODIs and all of three T20Is against the Windies and will be returning his Adelaide home for a break ahead of Australia’s Test and T20I series against New Zealand this month.
In the first ODI while chasing 232 by the Windies, Head was out for just four runs in two balls. But Steve Smith (79*), Cameron Green (77*) and Josh Inglis (65*) smashed useful fifties to guide their team to an easy eight-wicket win.
Also, pacer Xavier Bartlett will be rested from the second ODI tomorrow despite getting figures of 4/17 on a memorable international debut in the first ODI.
A statement from Cricket Australia stated that decision was made as a part of Xavier’s “ongoing management” as he had missed the first half of domestic season following a return from back stress injury.
Bartlett participated in every one of Brisbane Heat’s Big Bash League (BBL) title-winning campaign, but selectors have decided to not take any risk by assigning him a workload of three ODIs within five days.
Bartlett is likely to be back for the third ODI in Canberra and his Heat teammate Spencer Johnson will also link up with the team. Hazlewood is in the squad for the second ODI which will take place at his home, Sydney.
Johnson was a big omission from the initial squad, having made his white-ball debut in both formats last year. He had finished behind Bartlett (20 wickets) for the most wickets in BBL season 13 with 19 scalps.
Since his BBL debut in January last year, it has been a great 13 months for Johnson as he took six wickets on his Sheffield Shield debut, got his T20I and ODI debut caps, impressed in England’s The Hundred competition before finally landing a huge A$ 1.78 m Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with one-time champion Gujarat Titans in December.
Head’s release also opens up the door for the international debut of Jake Fraser McGurk, who impressed in the BBL this time. Also, two-time BBL ‘Player of the Tournament’ could also get to move to the top of the order.
Short was placed at number six in the first Windies ODI and it was Inglis who got the opportunity to fill legendary David Warner’s shoes as an opener following his retirement from Tests and 50-over format.
Fraser McGurk entered national selection contention following an off-season switch to South Australia from Victoria, as he scored the world’s fastest List A century in just 29 balls in his just second 50-over game for the new team. He followed it with 257 runs in nine games in BBL with two fifties and a SR of over 158 to earn a spot in the ‘Team of the Tournament’.
-Men’s ODI Series v West Indies
February 2: Australia won by eight wickets
February 4: SCG
February 6: Manuka Oval
Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (second ODI only), Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson (third ODI only), Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa
West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
-Men’s T20I Series v West Indies
February 9: Blundstone Arena,
February 11: Adelaide Oval
February 13: Perth Stadium
Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas. (ANI)
