Maxwell named in Aussie T20 squad

Glenn Maxwell will make his return to the Australian colours as part of a hard-hitting Twenty20 squad for the tri-series against New Zealand and England.

Controversially overlooked for the one-day side earlier this month, Maxwell has been named as part of a 14-man squad that will be captained by David Warner.

Warner is the only test player named in the squad, with the rest of Australia’s red-ball cricketers to head to South Africa to prepare for the four-match series with a tour match beginning the day after the T20 final in Auckland on February 21.

Hobart excitement machine D’Arcy Short has also been named to make his Australian debut, while Adelaide’s Alex Carey and the Sydney Sixers’ Ben Dwarshuis are also set to earn their maiden T20 caps.

‘‘D’Arcy’s selection speaks for itself,’’ T20 selector Mark Waugh said. ‘‘He is the leading run-scorer in the BBL and has also taken valuable wickets. He is in outstanding form and we look forward to seeing what he can bring to this T20 side.’’

Meanwhile, Dwarshuis’ selection represents the biggest shock, given the 23-year-old is yet to play Sheffield Shield cricket and has played just one one-day match for NSW.

‘‘Ben gives us good variety in the attack with his left-arm pace and has bowled particularly well with the new ball in the Big Bash League,’’ Waugh said.

‘‘With some players currently injured and our frontline quicks heading to South Africa it gives a great opportunity to some of the young pace-bowlers who have been selected to make their mark on the international stage.’’

The squad shapes as a virtual BBL all-stars side, with seven players named who have not featured in any other senior international cricket this summer. But it also threatens to have a debilitating effect on the competition’s finals, with the squad’s players not able to feature in the playoffs after some of them were available for the whole season.

Short has been the competition’s biggest star in Hobart, while the Adelaide Strikers will lose three players with the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades to lose two each.