Owen set for ODI debut, Aussie big names return

Mitch Owen's rapid rise has continued with a maiden call-up to Australia's one-day international squad to face South Africa in August.

The Australians named a pair of 14-player squads on Wednesday that will face the Proteas in three T20s and three ODIs in Darwin, Cairns and Townsville with Owen's name listed in both.

Owen is the only uncapped player in either squad and it comes after a successful debut on the just-completed tour of the Caribbean where he played all five T20s against West Indies and finished with a strike rate of 192.30.

Australia squads to face South Africa

Both white-ball squads: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa T20 only: Sean Abbott, Tim David, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell ODI only: Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris

The 23-year-old allrounder was the star of KFC BBL|14 with two centuries in Hobart Hurricanes' maiden title and has since become an in-demand asset in franchise cricket with contracts in South Africa, Pakistan and India, as well as a player-of-the-tournament performance in Major League Cricket in the USA.

Mitch Marsh will again captain the ODI side in the absence of Pat Cummins who, along with fellow veteran quick Mitch Starc, will sit out the series with an eye ahead to a gruelling home Ashes summer.

Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood return to both squads after having a rest for the T20 portion of the WI tour, as does Matt Short who was a late scratching in the Caribbean due to a side injury.

Australia's most recent ODI assignment was the Champions Trophy in February where they fielded a severely under-strength side and there have been a bevy of changes to the squad that lost to India in the semi-final thanks to some retirements and returning players.

Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell have called time in the format, while there was no room for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Stoinis, Spencer Johnson or Tanveer Sangha.

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Abbott and Maxwell however, along with Tim David and Matthew Kuhnemann, will take part in the T20s.

Quicks Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris, plus Alex Carey and Marnus Labuschagne, will only feature in the 50-over matches.

Bartlett and Morris both debuted against West Indies in February last year and the duo appear to be in the team's plans for the next 50-over World Cup, to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

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Australia have 11 T20Is in the schedule before next February's T20 World Cup with the three against South Africa to be followed by three in New Zealand against the Kiwis and five at home against India before the Ashes series.

Although they will also be granted a warm-up match or two before the tournament begins in India and Sri Lanka, all decisions from here will be made with the showpiece event at the front of mind.

Australia won their maiden T20 title in 2021 but put in underwhelming performances in the 2022 and 2024 editions.

"We've been playing some really good cricket but our World Cups haven't gone to plan, the last couple," leg-spinner Adam Zampa told cricket.com.au.

"We've got a lot of new guys, new faces, new roles so getting them ready for whatever pops up in that T20 World Cup. It's all a build-up to that."

Australia last played in Cairns in 2022 when they faced New Zealand in a three-match ODI series in what proved to be Aaron Finch's final series.

Their last men's international match in Darwin was in 2008 for a three-match series against Bangladesh, while they have never played in Mackay.

Australia v South Africa T20Is 2025

August 10: First T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST

August 12: Second T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST

August 16: Third T20I v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 7pm AEST

Australia v South Africa ODIs 2025

August 19: First ODI v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 2:30pm AEST

August 22: Second ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

August 24: Third ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen

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