Maxwell left out as Australia bat first

Australia have left allrounders Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner out of their side for the first Chappell-Hadlee one-day international against New Zealand in Sydney today.

LIVE: Australia v New Zealand, first ODI

Both players missed Australia's most recent ODI assignment, in South Africa in October, with Maxwell not selected on form and Faulkner absent due to injury.

Steve Smith: Why we fined Glenn Maxwell

Australia captain Steve Smith confirmed on Saturday that Maxwell was available for selection despite being fined by the team's leadership group for his comments about Victoria skipper Matthew Wade during the week.

With Maxwell and Faulkner not selected, Mitchell Marsh is the frontline allrounder in the side while the pace attack will be led by the all NSW trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

Smith won the toss at the SCG and elected to bat first.

Maxwell said on Thursday he felt as though batting below Wade at No.6 for Victoria in Sheffield Shield cricket hurt his selection chances for Australia’s third Test against South Africa in Adelaide last week.

Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann described Maxwell’s words as “disappointing” following the Victorian’s press conference, with Smith and Australia’s senior members deciding to punish the 28-year-old with a monetary penalty.

"Everyone was disappointed in his comments," Smith said.

"I’ve expressed that to him myself and spoke to the team.

"One of our values is respect and having respect for your teammates, opposition, the fans, the media.

"I thought what he said was very disrespectful to a teammate and his Victorian captain.

"The leadership group got together and we decided to fine Glenn. We thought that was a sufficient punishment.

"We’ve gone down that path and I was disappointed with the comments that he made.

"Wadey was pretty disappointed as well, like all the other players.

"As I said I talk about a respect thing for your teammates and particularly the captain of your state.

"He was disappointed but we’ve moved on from that now."

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, George Bailey, Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Jimmy Neesham, Colin Munro, BJ Watling (wk), Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.

PREVIEW

Australia's mission to regain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy begins on Sunday when Steve Smith’s men face New Zealand in the series opener at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Black Caps have held the coveted trophy since February 2015 when they pipped Australia by one wicket in an epic at Auckland during the group stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Australia were bundled out for 151 due in large part to Trent Boult’s 5-27 on that day, but an imperious performance by one-day wizard Mitchell Starc and his 6-28 almost got the visitors out of jail before Kane Williamson iced the game to seal the closest of victories.

The two sides met a month later in the World Cup final at the MCG, but while the Australians were crowned world champions after a seven-wicket triumph, the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy was not on the line on that occasion.

In February this year, prior to a two-match Test series, New Zealand defeated Australia 2-1 at home to retain the silverware for a least another 10 months before the Trans-Tasman rivals would meet again in the 50-over format.

Now the series is back on Australian soil where the hosts hold a commanding one-day international record.

Since January 1, 2010, no team has a won more ODI matches at home than Australia’s 52 wins from 68 matches, with India’s 44 victories from 62 games coming in second.

And with only 13 losses in that period, Australia’s win/loss ratio of four wins to every loss is significantly higher than second best India’s 2.75.

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Australia were without premier pacemen Mitchell Starc (injury) and Josh Hazlewood (rested) for their most recent ODI series in South Africa, where they were spanked 5-0 by the Proteas.

World Cup final man-of-the-match James Faulkner was also missing through injury for the whitewash across the Indian Ocean, but the Tasmanian is back and full of confidence after scoring his maiden Sheffield Shield century this week.

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For the first time at the elite level the pace trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Patrick Cummins will unite to form an all-out NSW fast-bowling unit on their home field.

Throw in leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who was born in NSW before moving to South Australia to further his career, and the Australia attack will have a distinct tinge of sky blue to it.

New Zealand will rely heavily on the experienced top three of Martin Guptill, Tom Latham and Williamson to blunt the hosts’ hostile seamers.

Dashers Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme could take the game away from Smith’s men if they fire in the middle order, while all eyes will be on pace sensation Lockie Ferguson who is said to be capable of hitting speeds of 150kph.

"(Ferguson) bowls quick, he ran in and bumped me a few times which was great," Williamson said on Saturday.

"It’s what you want to face and it was fantastic preparation. The Australians will do the same.

"He’s a point of difference in our squad. Adam Milne’s done it for a period of time and unfortunately he’s injured.

"Lockie’s young and strong and bowls fast."

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