BBL hero in frame for first Aussie cap in Caribbean
Hobart's Big Bash League hero Mitch Owen is on the cusp of a first Australian cap after being selected in the Twenty20 International squad to tour the West Indies.
It comes as Test spinner Matt Kuhnemann earns selection in his first T20I squad and out-of-sorts Jake Fraser-McGurk is dropped from the set-up.
Owen's call-up continues a whirlwind start to the year for the 23-year-old, who powered the Hurricanes to their first BBL title with a century in the final against the Sydney Thunder.
SQUAD ✈️🌴Mitchell Marsh will lead a squad of 16 for the T20I component of our national men's team's upcoming tour of the West Indies. pic.twitter.com/liw6KlvtUU
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) June 4, 2025
He finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer and earned a maiden call-up to the IPL as Punjab Kings' injury replacement for Glenn Maxwell, though was dismissed for a second-ball duck in his only game.
Owen brings versatility to the 16-player squad, able to open the batting or slot into the middle order for the five matches played across Jamaica and St Kitt's after the three-Test series.
Swashbuckling young gun Fraser-McGurk joins veteran allrounder Marcus Stoinis and paceman Xavier Bartlett in missing the T20 squad for next month's matches.
Fraser-McGurk withdrew from the IPL when it went on hiatus after managing only one score in double figures from six innings with Delhi Capitals.
Chief selector George Bailey suggested all hope was not lost ahead for those who missed selection as Australia prepares for next year's T20 World Cup.
"There are a number of players outside the squad who can till force their way into the mix," he said.
"The connection, role development and combinations we will have as options are growing nicely as we build towards the World Cup."
Kuhnemann's inclusion continues a great calendar year for the tweaker, who was Australia's best bowler in the dominant Test series win over Sri Lanka.
He joins as back-up to Adam Zampa but is a chance for game-time if decks point to needing two front-line spinners.
Multi-format superstars Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitch Starc are unavailable for the T20Is, opting to return home after the Test matches.
But allrounders Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly have been included in the squad on return from injury.
AUSTRALIA'S T20 SQUAD FOR WEST INDIES TOUR:
Mitch Marsh (capt), 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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
Trump banned travel from 12 countries, but included some exceptions to avoid legal battles
MIAMI -- The new travel ban on citizens of 12 countries that restricted access to people from seven others includes some exceptions, part of the administration's efforts to withstand the legal challenges that a similar policy known as the 'Muslim ban' faced during Donald Trump's first administration. The ban announced Wednesday applies to people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The restrictions are for people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, who are outside the United States and don't hold a visa. Some exceptions apply only to specific countries, like Afghanistan. Others are for most of the countries on the list, or are more general and unclear, like the policies for foreign visitors planning to come to the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, two of the events President Donald Trump has said he is more excited to host. Some experts agree that the current ban includes exceptions and has fixed some issues that were subject to litigation in the first travel ban. 'Absolutely, the administration is trying to avoid the problems that they had with the first proclamation,' said Jeff Joseph, president-elect at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He anticipated, nonetheless, that lawsuits are 'going to come anyway.' In one of the most confusing moments of his first administration, Trump issued an executive order in 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. People from those countries were barred from getting on flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after landing. Among them were students, faculty, businesspeople, tourists and people visiting family. The order, dubbed as 'Muslim ban' by critics, faced legal challenges in the courts for about a year and was amended twice after opponents argued in the courts that it was unconstitutional and illegal. A version of the first travel ban was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The new ban takes effect Monday at 12 a.m. It does not have an end date. __Green card holders __Dual citizens, including U.S. citizens who have citizenship of the banned countries __Some athletes and their coaches traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting events __Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or its allies in Afghanistan or are holders of special visas __Iranians from an ethnic or religious minority who are fleeing prosecution __Certain foreign national employees of the U.S. government that have served abroad for at least 15 years, and their spouses and children __People who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. as refugees before the travel ban took effect __People with U.S. family members who apply for visas in connection with their spouses, children or parents __Diplomats and foreign government officials on official visits __People traveling to the U.N. headquarters in New York on official U.N. business __Representatives of international organizations and NATO on official visits in the United States __Children adopted by U.S. citizens Trump said nationals of the countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. Some of these countries, he said, had 'deficient' screening or have refused to take back their citizens. The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests. Critics of the 2017 ban said that it was racial and targeted Muslim countries. Now the policy is broader and includes countries like Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela — nations that don't have many Muslims. This will make the argument about racial animus, said Joseph, the immigration attorney. The government has also included potential end dates, and the State Department will evaluate the proclamation every 90 days and determine if it should be extended. The list can be changed, the administration said in a document, if authorities in the designated countries make 'material improvements' to their own rules and procedures. New countries can be added 'as threats emerge around the world.' The travel ban has barred most Afghans hoping to resettle in the U.S. permanently and those hoping to come temporarily, but there are several exemptions. One of them is for special immigrant visa holders who supported the United States' two-decades-long war in Afghanistan. Another exception applies to all countries on the travel ban and allows spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens to enter the U.S. The U.S. government can decide to admit or decline their entrance on a case-by-case basis, considering if they serve a 'United States national interest.' Iran, a soccer power in Asia, is the only targeted country to qualify so far for the World Cup that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. Cuba, Haiti and Sudan are in contention. Sierra Leone might stay involved through multiple playoff games. Burundi, Equatorial Guinea and Libya have very outside shots. But all should be able to send teams if they qualify because the new policy makes exceptions for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' About 200 countries could send athletes to the Summer Games, including those targeted in the travel restrictions, and the exceptions should apply to them if the ban is still in place in its current form. Fans from the target countries willing to travel to the World Cup and the Olympics are not mentioned in the exceptions. Traveling from abroad for the World Cup and the Summer Games is expensive. In many cases, those who can afford the travel are wealthy individuals or people living in the diaspora, who may have different visa options.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Venezuela step closer to World Cup playoff berth
Venezuela are one step closer to a World Cup qualifying berth after beating Bolivia 2-0 to extend their advantage in seventh place in South American World Cup qualifying. Bolivian Héctor Cuellar scored an own goal in the fifth minute on Friday after a simple pass to goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra ended in the back of the net. The hosts added a second in the 30th minute when striker Salomón Rondón, Venezuela's all-time top goal scorer with 47 goals, chested down a cross from Nahuel Ferraresi and scored with his left foot. Bolivia, who now trail Venezuela by four points with only three rounds to play, never threatened goalkeeper Rafael Romo at the Monumental Stadium in the eastern city of Maturin, Venezuela. Also on Friday, Colombia drew 0-0 with Peru 0-0 at home and failed to overtake Brazil in the standings. It was Colombia's fifth consecutive match without a win. The hosts at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla missed suspended striker Luis Díaz, who scored six goals in World Cup qualifying. Jhon Córdoba and Rafael Santos Borré were also out due to injury. World Cup champions Argentina, who secured their 2026 berth in March, lead South American qualifying after 15 matches with 34 points. Ecuador and Paraguay are next with 24 points, but the Ecuadorians have a better goal difference. Brazil are in fourth with 22 points. Uruguay and Colombia, both with 21 points, are fifth and sixth, respectively, separated by goal difference. Venezuela, the only South American team to have never competed in a World Cup, have 18 points. Bolivia, who still have a chance of moving into seventh, have 14. Peru and Chile have 11 and 10 points respectively. Several teams could secure their World Cup spots in Tuesday's next set of matches. Ecuador will clinch their spot with a win at Peru and Brazil could also secure their berth with a win, provided Venezuela don't add points at Uruguay. Colombia will have to beat Lionel Messi's Argentina in Buenos Aires to come close to their spot before the two final rounds in September. Bolivia will have to overcome Chile at home to keep their chances alive. All 10 South American nations play each other home and away. The top six countries qualify directly to the finals next year in North America. The seventh-place South American team, currently Venezeula, will go into the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026 in North America where six teams will vie for the remaining two spots in the main tournament.
2 hours ago
England beats West Indies by 21 runs in T20 series opener
CHESTER-LE-STREET, England -- England continued its mastery of the West Indies by winning their Twenty20 series opener by 21 runs on Friday. After dominating the West Indies in three one-day internationals, England was expected to receive a tougher fight from the visitor, higher-rated in T20s than ODIs, and bolstered by World Cup champions Andre Russell, Jason Holder and Johnson Charles. But the West Indies didn't have world No. 2-ranked T20 bowler Akeal Hosein, who, along with batter Jyd Goolie, was unable to travel to England because of recent changes to U.K. visa entry requirements for Trinidad and Tobago citizens. Hosein was badly missed on a pitch that suited spin. The match-winner was left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, recalled by England after nearly three years out at the age of 35. He'd taken six wickets in 11 T20s from 2016-22, but produced a career-best 4-20 in four overs. Dawson took out Charles, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase and Rovman Powell, four of the top six batters. He and fellow spinner Adil Rashid, 1-22, helped to choke a deep West Indies lineout to 167-9 in a chase of 189. Under England's brand new T20 captain Harry Brook, the old captain Jos Buttler set up a defendable total with 96 runs off 59 balls. Buttler worked the field so well he looked set to achieve his second T20 hundred in his 135th match. But he moved across while facing Alzarri Joseph and was beaten for pace and out lbw in the 19th over. He hit six boundaries and four sixes. 'I'm very pleased to get this series up and running with a win,' Brook said. 'It's unbelievable to have Dawson and Rashid working from both ends, operating the way they've done for so many years, and that wealth of experience. Jos Buttler is unbelievable. To have him in this T20 team batting in the top three, it's an honor.' England ended up at 188-6, pegged back by the West Indies after the host bolted out of the gates to 78-1 in the powerplay. West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie did much to haul in England, his four overs conceding only 21 runs, 15 of them to Buttler. But Motie had only Chase as spin support, and Buttler devoured the pacers. 'A lot of teams like to throw spin at West Indies,' West Indies captain Shai Hope said. 'We need to get better as a batting unit. We've got so much depth. We're so powerful, so destructive. We've got to put this behind us and we've got two games to win the series.' The second of three T20s is on Sunday in Bristol.
