The Twenty20 squad for the upcoming matches on Australia Day (26th) and the 28th were named today with several players who were in the T20 World Cup squad not included.
They are Cameron White, Dan Christian, Brad Hogg, Clint McKay, Ben Hilfenhaus and most noticeably both the Hussey brothers with Mitchell Johnson also omitted in addition to Shane Watson and James Pattinson, who are yet to prove their fitness.
However, bad boy Shaun Marsh and veteran Adam Voges return to the side after their exile from the international scene.
Marsh has not played an international match since last year’s T20 against India and Voges has not played since early 2011 when he was man of the match against England in Perth.
Both players have been in good form in the BBL with Marsh topping the run scoring charts with 412 runs at 59 at a strike rate of 129.
The squad only features three players from the test series in David Warner, Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc. It also includes three Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and Ben Cutting from the ODI squad, but they have only played a combined number of eight ODIs.
The rest include Ben Laughlin, James Faulkner, Xavier Doherty and captain George Bailey.
What is really surprising are the omissions of David Hussey, who is arguably the best T20 player in the world, Cameron White, who is coming off an 88 in the semi-final against Brisbane, and Clint McKay, who has not only bowled well in the ODIs but is probably our best limited overs bowler currently.
Dan Christian, who was also not included, has been in terrific form with the ball and reasonable form with the bat.
“We’ve just picked the best squad that we can,” is what chairman of selectors John Inverarity said at the MCG, but the fact is without Clint Mckay nor Mitchell Johnson, our bowling attack looks very inexperienced and weak whilst without David Hussey, Cameron White or David Hussey, our middle order looks the same.
Despite the fact the top three in Warner, Finch and Marsh looks very strong statistically and with Voges and Bailey in the middle order, it is still not our best XI.
However, the squad looks better and probably stronger than the ODI squad was for the first two ODIs this series.
Although it isn’t the best Australia T20 side, almost every player in the squad is coming off either good form in the BBL or good form in the ODI series.
I would’ve liked to see Tim Paine given a chance to resurrect his international career or even James Hopes possibly.
I would’ve also liked to have seen Watson included in the squad to give a chance to prove his fitness and if he had played, get back into some sort of form.
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