Mitchell Owen earns Australian T20 call-up as Jake Fraser-McGurk snubbed for Windies tour

One of the most explosive batsmen in the country has rocketed into Australia’s T20 plans – but it’s come at the expense of another prodigious talent. See their squad to face West Indies.

Jake Fraser-McGurk’s brief Australian career has landed at the crossroads at age 23 after he and veteran all-rounder Marcus Stoinis were dropped from the Australian T20 squad.

Batting enigma Fraser-McGurk has paid the price for a lack of results at all levels, most recently in the Indian Premier League, and has missed Australia’s 16-man squad for the West Indies tour.

Big Bash sensation Mitch Owen has won his Australian spurs in a squad which contains a telling vote of support for spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Fraser-McGurk is one of the game’s most entertaining players but his dam-busting style has been imploding too often for the selectors’ peace of mind.

In seven T20s for Australia he has managed just 113 runs at 14 and, despite being a million dollar signing for the Delhi Capitals, made only one double figure score in six innings in the recent IPL before being dropped.

Stoinis, 35, who recently retired from the international one-day format, had some bright moments last year but now faces a stiff task to make next year’s T20 World Cup.

Jake Fraser-McGurk’s career is at a crossroads, after he was dumped from Australia’s T20 squad. Picture: Getty

Tasmanian power hitter Owen, who scored 108 off 42 balls in last summer’s Big Bash final to seal the title for the Hobart Hurricanes, will join Kuhnemann for five T20 matches against the West Indies in Jamaica and St Kitts next month.

Kuhnemann underwent specialist testing after being reported for having a suspect action by umpires in the recent two Test series in Sri Lanka.

He was cleared of any abnormalities and his inclusion in his first national T20 squad is a sign the selectors are not concerned about any future issues over his action.

The squad will be captained by Mitchell Marsh, who was in blistering form in the IPL with 627 runs for Lucknow.

Mitch Owen BBL final century

Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly return following injury but Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc will return to Australia following the Test Series in the West Indies and will not play in the T20 series.

Australia has won 12 of their past 14 matches as it plans for next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

“We have a busy T20 schedule coming up through this Series, followed by three against South Africa and New Zealand and five matches against India at home as we continue to refine and build a squad we think will be the right fit for the World Cup on the subcontinent,’’ selection chairman George Bailey said.

“There are a number of players outside the squad who can still force their way into the mix for those upcoming Indian Series and through the Big Bash.’’

AUSTRALIA: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

Originally published as Mitchell Owen earns Australian T20 call-up as Jake Fraser-McGurk snubbed for Windies tour