Wade bolts into World Cup planning, Stoinis on standby

04 Feb 2020 Dave Middleton

Hobart Hurricanes opener Matthew Wade recalled for Australia months out from men's T20 World Cup while prolific Big Bash form of Marcus Stoinis not enough to force his way into squad

Matthew Wade has been handed a shock recall to Australia's T20 and ODI squads for this month's tour of South Africa while Mitch Marsh has supplanted Marcus Stoinis as Australia's limited-overs allrounder of choice.

Glenn Maxwell will also return to Australia's white-ball teams for the Qantas Tour of South Africa that includes three T20s and three ODI matches, while D'Arcy Short and Ashton Turner have both been axed from both formats.

Jhye Richardson returns to the national limited-overs set-up for the first time since he dislocated his shoulder in the lead-up to last year's World Cup campaign, joining Sean Abbott for the T20 leg only.

The T20 squad has also seen Ben McDermott and Billy Stanlake omitted from the side that swept Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the start of the 2019-20 home summer, while Peter Handscomb has been dropped from the ODI side that toured India.

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

National Selector Trevor Hohns said the emphasis had been on picking "well-balanced squads with a focus on the specific skills each individual offers in their respective roles".

"It is fantastic to have Glenn back in both squads given his brilliant form in the middle order for the Stars along with his results with the ball," Hohns said in a statement.

"Glenn was one of the first picked in the most recent T20 team at the start of the summer, prior to his break from the game."

Maxwell, who stepped away from international cricket last October for a mental health break, will make his return in both formats against South Africa.

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He has enjoyed an impressive BBL|09 season with the Stars, scoring 389 runs at a strike rate of 150.77 so far, as well as starring in the field and with his captaincy. He was earlier this week named captain of the BBL|09 Team of the Tournament.

Perth Scorchers captain Marsh, the seam-bowling allrounder, has been drafted back into the ODI team for the first time since January 2018.

Marsh did play four matches for Australia A last winter and had been on standby during the World Cup campaign for Stoinis, who overcame a side injury to take his place in the team that bowed out with a semi-final defeat to England.

Marsh has also been included in the T20 squad for the first time since October 2018, having posted 382 runs at a strike rate of 145.24 while captaining the Scorchers this season. He also claimed five wickets but his economy rate of 9.19 could prove a concern.

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The return to Australian colours completes a resurgence for Marsh who had gone from Test vice-captain to being out of the side in all three formats for Australia in the 2017-18 summer.

"(Marsh) has been in tremendous touch with the bat for the Scorchers since his return from injury and is now back bowling well," Hohns said.

"His performances warranted inclusion in the area he operates as a powerful middle-order batsman and handy bowler."

Hohns added that Jhye Richardson's "performances demanded inclusion" after collecting 15 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 25 and economy rate of 7.07 in BBL|09.

Richardson 'bowled' in his throws from the deep during the Big Bash but Hohns allayed fears about his ability to fully contribute in the field, saying: "He is a terrific young player who has been sensational in all forms of the game; and is an extremely strong fieldsman."

The insertion of Wade into Australia's T20 side just eight months out from the men’s T20 World Cup on home soil from October is the latest chapter in a second-coming for the 32-year-old.

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The former wicketkeeper has reinvented himself as a specialist batsman in the past year, playing a key role in Australia retaining the Ashes in England with centuries at Edgbaston and The Oval last winter.

He was prolific for the Hobart Hurricanes at the back end of this summer's KFC BBL, scoring 351 runs at a blistering strike rate of 171.21 in just eight innings, including a whirlwind 130 against the Adelaide Strikers.

"Matthew Wade is also in red hot form with the bat. He is a very strong fielder; and a great person to have in any team. He can also substitute as wicketkeeper if required," Hohns said.

Despite opening up for Hobart, Wade's versatility is expected to see him fill a middle order role after being called up by Australia's national selection panel, which included George Bailey for the fist time following his retirement from playing.

Hohns said Stoinis was first reserve for both formats, but had been considered only for a top-order role.

"(Stoinis) was unlucky to miss out due to the makeup of the current top order," Hohns said.

"It is terrific to have a backup player of his calibre in such good form."

Super Stoinis smashes highest score in BBL history

The allrounder's omission from the travelling squad comes on the same day he was named the KFC BBL Player of the Tournament for his prolific run-scoring feats with the Melbourne Stars, including setting a new tournament record for the highest individual score with an unbeaten 147 last month.

Australia's top order is settled with captain Aaron Finch and David Warner opening the batting and Steve Smith at first drop in both limited-overs formats.

Australia's selectors found no room for Adelaide Strikers' middle-order lynchpin Jonathan Wells.

The tour will mark the first return visit to South Africa for Warner and Smith, with the third T20 back at the Newlands venue in Cape Town where Australia's ball tampering scandal unfolded in March 2018.

The pair were suspended from top level cricket for 12 months by Cricket Australia for their respective roles in the scandal but both have made a successful reintegration to the Australian team, playing in the World Cup campaign and drawn Ashes series that saw Australia retain the urn for the first time in 18 years in England, as well as a successful and unbeaten home summer.

Australia will play three ODIs at home against New Zealand in March following the South Africa tour.

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

South Africa squad: TBC

First T20: February 21 at Johannesburg. 3am AEDT (Feb 22), Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second T20: February 23 at Port Elizabeth 11.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third T20: February 26 at Cape Town. 3am AEDT (Feb 27), Fox Cricket & Kayo

First ODI: February 29 at Paarl (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo