Cricket: Big Bash stars get national call-up

Australian selectors have looked to the future picking a squad of 26 for a white-ball tour of England they hope will go ahead in September.

Josh Philippe has been given the opportunity to transfer his BBL form to the natioinal team. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Rising stars Riley Meredith and Josh Philippe have been named in a 26-man Australian squad for a potential tour of England that hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Australia is expecting to make its return to the field with a white-ball tour of England in September.

Selectors today named a squad including the mainstays plus players of interest with the names including all-rounders Daniel Sams, Sean Abbott and Michael Neser as well as keeper-batsman Philippe and tearaway quick Meredith.

All-rounder Marcus Stoinis, dropped from the one-day and T20 teams earlier this year, has also been included along with Test discard Usman Khawaja. Glenn Maxwell, who hasn’t played for Australia since November, is back in along with paceman Andrew Tye.

A final squad will be named if and when the tour is confirmed. Selection chief Trevor Hohns said the group was named with upcoming T20 World Cups and the 2023 one-day World Cup in mind.

“The preliminary list includes several exciting young players who have recently excelled at state level and in the BBL. These emerging players are those we would like to develop further as we believe they have a bright future in Australian cricket.

“The preliminary list also has a view towards the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup and in the longer term the 2023 ICC World Cup.”

A short tour of England consisting of three ODIs and three T20s was originally scheduled for this month but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Riley Meredith joins the Australian squad. Picture: AAP Image/Rob Blakers

If the tour goes ahead, it would likely require players and coaches to be quarantined in hubs during the series – like the England and West Indies players are currently – while Australia’s players may also need to quarantine when they return home.

“The ECB are a longstanding and valued international cricket partner and we are doing all we can to give the tour the best possible chance of taking place,” CA executive general manager of national teams Ben Oliver said.

“We continue to work with the ECB and government agencies and a decision on the tour will be made in due course.

“In the meantime, the identification of a preliminary list will enable us to work with players and states more directly on the preparation for the tour in the hope it can proceed.

“The health and wellbeing of players and staff, along with our commitment to public health within our communities, remain our utmost priority.”

Australia's preliminary squad: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Michael Neser, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, D’Arcy Short, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.