Mitch Marsh clear frontrunner to captain Australia at World Cup, named skipper for New Zealand T20 series

Mitch Marsh is the frontrunner to captain Australia at this year’s Twenty20 World Cup. The newly crowned Allan Border Medal-winner will retain the role for a three-match series against New Zealand later this month, the strongest indication yet he will be locked in as skipper for the tournament in the Caribbean starting in June. Selectors have also used Matthew Wade as captain in recent series as leaders effectively auditioned to replace white-ball great Aaron Finch. Marsh will also captain Australia in the three-match T20 series against West Indies next week, including a match in his home State. The rest of Australia’s squad to head across the ditch is near full strength, with a fully-stocked pace attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood named, as well as Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith. In a shock move, Australia’s T20I Player of the Year — Perth Scorchers swing king Jason Behrendorff — has been jumped by Tasmanian seamer Nathan Ellis. Behrendorff has been named to face the West Indies, but not to tour New Zealand in a blow to his World Cup hopes. Selection chair George Bailey said the left-armer, as well as Sean Abbott — one of the stars of this one-day international series — were on standby. “Travis, Pat, Mitchell and Steve rejoin the squad following the series against the West Indies with Jason Behrendorff and Sean Abbott amongst the standby players from those playing the upcoming T20s,” he said. “The next six games will provide us the opportunity to start shaping what we think our World Cup squad will look like and potential roles within that. “We will also fully utilise the opportunity to monitor and watch the performances of the Australian players in the IPL immediately preceding the World Cup.” Ellis has also been named to face the West Indies, but is still managing the final stages of his recovery from a rib injury. Matt Short’s fitness will be watched closely over the next few weeks. He was pulled out of Tuesday’s ODI against West Indies with a hamstring concern.