Australian cricket team coach Andrew McDonald said on Tuesday that charismatic young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk and all-rounder Matthew Short have been added as travelling reserves with the squad for the T20 World Cup in the Americas because they bring something different to the table. Fraser-McGurk, 22, in only his debut IPL season, gave an excellent display of explosive batsmanship for Delhi Capitals smashing four half-centuries in nine games at an astronomical strike rate exceeding 234.
He hit 330 runs, including 32 boundaries and 28 maximums, prompting several Australian greats to pitch for his inclusion in the 15-member squad. But after being overlooked for the World Cup in the West Indies and USA next month, he has been finally included as a travelling reserve.
“I think they’re (Fraser-McGurk and Short) slightly different in what they offer. Fraser is an out-and-out opener and the way we’ve grown Matthew Short into the team is through the middle order and that spin (bowling) ability as well,” McDonald told Sen Radio.
McDonald indicated that Short could come in handy in the event of Glenn Maxwell getting injured.
“We feel like he’s (Short) a spinning all-rounder much like Glenn Maxwell if anything should move there, and obviously Jake Fraser-McGurk is an out-and-out top order player,” added McDonald.
The two reserves will, however, not be able to play unless there is an injury in the squad.
The Australian team is set to fly out for the World Cup on Wednesday.
“Both exciting, I think they both add a lot.
“Those guys sit outside of the 15, the only way they can come onto the selection table is if there was to be an injury, we’ve got two options there depending on what we lose or what may unfold in terms of injuries,” McDonald added.
The coach said that apart from the two players, Australia had several other options as well, should a player in the 15-member squad get injured or indisposed.
“We’ve also got some other options in Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett that are playing in the UK as well, so if we were to lose a bowler those guys are up and running in the UK… and they can come in, it’s only a short flight into the West Indies from England.
On opener David Warner’s fitness concerns, McDonald said the 37-year-old was doing fine.
“No, not at this stage. We believe he’s fully fit, everything he says is he’s fully fit, we know that he missed the last game for Delhi (Capitals in IPL), clearly that was a selection mechanism there with the way they want to play late in the tournament, I think he played the second last round… we have no fears he won’t be fit and fully available..” Australia play their opening group stage match against Oman in Barbados on June 6.
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