‘Hard to fathom’: Greats respond to World Cup snub

Former national selector Mark Waugh declared it’s “hard to fathom” how batting dynamo Jake Fraser-McGurk wasn’t in the 15-man Australian T20 squad for the tournament in the USA and Caribbean with Steve Smith also missing out of the first time in 12 years.

National selection chief George Bailey said the red-hot 22-year-old, who has lit up the Indian Premier League where he is the third leading run-scorer among Australians, was part of “long conversations” but behind experienced players like Marcus Stoinis and veteran Matthew Wade, who can play crucial middle-order roles.

But Bailey also left the door left open for changes before the final May 25 deadline and Waugh said he would have included both batting powerhouses Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short.

“A very strong squad no doubt that should be hard to beat but to leave out JFM is quite frankly hard to fathom. I would also have had Matt Short in,” the cricket great and Fox Sports commentator posed on social media.

Depth in top-order batters, including Travis Head, player of the match in last year’s ODI World Cup final and the top Aussie in India, counted against Fraser-McGurk, who hasn’t played a single T20 international.

Despite veteran opener David Warner carrying a finger injury into what looms as his final international event, and Mitch Marsh, who was confirmed as captain, overcoming a hamstring complaint, selectors opted not to change the plan they have had in train for some time despite a push for Fraser-McGurk from two former Australian captains in Aaron Finch and Tim Paine.

Smith, who has played in every World Cup he’s been available for since 2012, is also not among the 11 members of the squad who claimed the T20 World Cup in 2021 to get another chance to shoot for glory.

“Steve Smith, Matt Short, Jason Behrendorff, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett were all part of long conversations, along with several others, including Jake Fraser-McGurk, who is yet to play T20 International cricket but continues to impress and is developing rapidly,” Bailey said.

“Being constrained to a squad of 15 for World Cups is always a challenge given the different scenarios and options we’d like to cover.

“We will continue monitoring several players who have missed out on this preliminary squad and note that if we wish to change this squad, we have the option to do so over the coming weeks in accordance with ICC regulations.

“Ultimately, the balance of the final 15 needs to provide the best chance of being successful in this campaign.”

Stoinis, 34, who lost both his Cricket Australia contract and his place in the ODI team after the emergence of Fraser McGurk and Short, has made 186 runs in his past three IPL innings to make his World Cup case.

Following his maiden century with a four-ball duck before swatting a matchwinning 62 off 45 balls to cement his place as a middle-order powerhouse for the Aussies, Stoinis garnered strong support from former Australian coach and his mentor at the Lucknow Super Giants, Justin Langer.

“He has been a real matchwinner,” Langer said after Stoinis guided his team home to a win over the Mumbai Indians.

“In T20, in big tournaments, matchwinners are crucial if you are going to keep progressing. He’s showing that presence at the top of the order. He took a good catch too. He’s playing well.”

Head is the leading Aussie run scorer at the IPL having belted 338 runs in eight games, including a century. Stoinis is next on the list with 316, and then comes Fraser-McGurk with 259.

Of those picked in the World Cup squad, Tim David has 217 runs, Warner 167 from an injury-hit campaign, Cameron Green 111 runs from eight matches, Glenn Maxwell only 32 runs having dropped himself midway through the tournament before making a return, and Wade has played just the single game.

Ashton Agar regained his place as a second spinner along with No.1 Adam Zampa, while Nathan Ellis will back up first-choice fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, who has struggled in the IPL, and Josh Hazlewood, who missed the Indian tournament for the birth of his first child.

AUSTRALIAN T20 WORLD CUP SQUAD

Mitchell Marsh (c) Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa