Bailey To Lead Experimental Australia ODI Squad

Bailey To Lead Experimental Australia ODI Squad

George Bailey will captain an Australian side which will be missing a number of senior players for the first two matches in Melbourne and Adelaide.

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australia have opted to rest several senior players for the first two One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka, handing the captaincy to George Bailey.

Ben Cutting, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch are poised to make their ODI debuts but with the likes of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Shane Watson absent for varying reasons, Brad Haddin and David Hussey add some experience to the squad.

Clarke is battling a hamstring injury and is taking a rest while the elder Hussey is not expected to play through until the 2015 World Cup, which Cricket Australia (CA) are already planning for.

Watson and James Pattinson - among others - were not considered through injury while David Warner and Matthew Wade are given a rest having featured in all six Tests this summer.

"The squad has a number of young players who have a considerable upside. The seven batsmen have all performed very well when their last 10 appearances in 50 over cricket are considered," National Selection Panel (NSP) Chairman John Inverarity said.

"Aaron Finch, for example has scored 716 runs at the average of 79.6 with a strike rate of 91. Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja are generally considered to be ‘red-ball’ cricketers, but their recent 50 over figures are most impressive; 477 runs at 95.4 (strike-rate of 82) and 477 at 59.6 (strike-rate of 82.5) respectively. These opportunities during the Commonwealth Bank Series will enhance their overall development.

"Ben Cutting has also been included in the ODI squad for the first time. He is a prolific wicket-taker over the three formats and has shown that he can be a devastating lower-order batsman as well."

The five-match series begins in Melbourne on 11th January with further matches on 13th, 18th, 20th and 23rd in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart.

Australia ODI squad: George Bailey (captain), Ben Cutting, Xav1ier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Phillip Hughes, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc

© Cricket World 2013