Smith to captain Australia against England Friday
steven smith
Melbourne, Jan 20 (IANS) Steve Smith was Tuesday named captain of Australia's One-Day International (ODI) team for Friday's tri-series match against England with George Bailey suspended after a second slow-over rate offence in Sunday's match against India here.
Shaun Marsh and Cameron White have both been called up for the fourth match in the tri-series, with David Warner not travelling with the squad to Hobart to recuperate after picking up a slight hamstring strain earlier in the series, according to a Cricket Australia (CA) statement.
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"Steven's appointment was a straightforward decision given the excellent impression he made in charge of the side during the Commonwealth Bank Test series when he stepped in for the injured Michael Clarke," said national selector Rod Marsh.
"It is unfortunate for George Bailey that he will miss the match in his home state but in Steven we have a dynamic player who leads from the front, by example, and we look forward to him doing so again on Friday."
Pacers Josh Hazlewood (heel soreness) and Mitchell Johnson (personal reasons) will also miss the trip to Hobart so Australia have named a 12-man squad for the match.
White and Marsh will both link up with the squad Thursday morning after Wednesday night's KFC Twenty20 Big Bash League clash between Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers at the MCG.
The call-up marks a return to the fold for White, who last played an ODI for Australia in April 2011 in Bangladesh.
The Victorian had been named player of the tournament for the past two domestic one-day competitions, most recently in October for the Matador One-Day Cup where he scored 354 runs at 59 with two centuries and two fifties in seven matches.
Warner had complained of a slight hamstring issue after his century in the opening tri-series match in Sydney against England, but played in Melbourne.
His omission would likely see an all-Victorian duo of White and Aaron Finch open the batting for Australia in Hobart, with Marsh slotting into the middle order in place of Bailey.
Smith will become Australia's 22nd ODI skipper and his appointment was made following approval by the Cricket Australia Board of Directors.
Squad: Steven Smith (captain), Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Gurinder Sandhu, Mitchell Starc, Shane Watson, Cameron White.