Brad Hodge’s hopes of ever returning to the national side appear all-but over after he was left out of a 30-man preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy.
Selectors concentrated on youth for the one-day tournament in South Africa from September 22-October 5, naming seven players with no one-day international experience.
Of the 25 on the Cricket Australia (CA) contract list, only Hodge, Simon Katich, Stuart Clark and Ashes reserve `keeper Graham Manou were left out of the squad.
Hodge, 34, appeared to have been handed a career lifeline when he was retained on the elite list in May, soon after being surprisingly overlooked for Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup squad.
But his failure since to make it into either Australia’s 16-man Ashes squad or the 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy suggests he is no longer on the selectors’ radar in any form of the game.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch says the squad, which must be trimmed to 15 by August 23, has been named with an eye to the future, particularly the 2011 World Cup.
That has meant call-ups for the likes of Tasmanian wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who starred for Australia A in the recent one-day series against Pakistan A, Victorian left-arm spinner Jon Holland and NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques.
The other players in the squad yet to represent Australia in one-day cricket are opener Phil Hughes, all-rounder Andrew McDonald and off-spinner Jason Krejza, who have all made Test appearances, along with Victorian quick Clint McKay.
“The Australian side is currently in a rebuilding phase as we prepare for the 2011 ICC World Cup following the loss of so many important players from the 2007 World Cup-winning team,” Hilditch said.
“The ICC Champions Trophy is a key event in international cricket and a very important one for Australia as we look to lift our one-day international performances in our bid to retain this trophy.
“The squad recognises the performances of our proven one-day international players, the strong performance of the Australia A side in the recent one-day series against Pakistan A and the performances of our interstate players in the Ford Ranger Cup.
“The squad sees the inclusion of several exciting young players who we see as potentially very important to our future.”
Express paceman Shaun Tait, who has not represented Australia since breaking down with hamstring tendonitis during a one-dayer against New Zealand in February, has been named.
Tait was also part of the Australia A series against Pakistan, which was his return to competitive cricket.
The quick was handed a CA contract in June, replacing sacked all-rounder Andrew Symonds, after being initially overlooked in May.
Squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Callum Ferguson, Brett Geeves, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Nathan Hauritz, Moises Henriques, Ben Hilfenhaus, Jon Holland, James Hopes, Phillip Hughes, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Andrew McDonald, Clinton McKay, Marcus North, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
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