Melbourne: David Warner has been dropped from the Australia squad for the forthcoming one-day international matches against Scotland and England, Cricket Australia (CA) announced Sunday. Meanwhile CA also said left-arm fast medium bowler Mitchell Starc was returning home with "some lower back soreness".
Australia coach and selector Darren Lehmann said dynamic batsman Warner had been left out of the one-dayers, which start with a lone ODI against Scotland in Edinburgh on Tuesday before a five-match series with England begins in Leeds on Friday, because of a lack of runs at this level. "David has been left out of the Australian ODI squad for this tour purely due to his recent lack of form in this format," Lehmann said in the CA statement. "By his own admission, David would acknowledge that unfortunately he hasn't scored the weight of runs that he would like recently in one-day cricket for his country," former Australia batsman Lehmann added.
Warner played in just one match during Australia's involvement in the Champions Trophy in England in June, scoring nine in a loss to England, but was suspended from the team after punching England's Joe Root in a Birmingham bar after the match. He has only played three more ODIs this year, in January against Sri Lanka, where he scored 10, 60 and four. "Like all selection matters, it was a tough decision, but like all players he understands the situation and knows he needs to get back to playing RYOBI Cup (Australia's domestic one-day competition) and making a heap of runs that we can't ignore," Lehmann added.
"I spoke with David at length about what he needs to do and I've been impressed with his attitude since I've come into the Australian set-up."
Warner's omission came just a day after he top-scored for Australia with 53 in their 27-run defeat in the second Twenty20 international at Chester-le-Street on Saturday, where England's victory saw them level the two-match series at 1-1. Starc endured a frustrating tour of England, playing in the first, third and fifth Tests of the five-match Ashes series while being dropped for the second and the fourth.
"Mitch reported some lower back pain in recent days so we have decided it's best for him to return to Australia for further assessment and investigation," said Australian cricket team doctor Peter Brukner. Starc didn't feature in the Twenty20s and he has now become the latest Australia paceman to have his tour of England cut short by a back problem following James Pattinson and Jackson Bird. Australia always planned to reduce their limited overs squad from 18 to 15 following the two Twenty20s against England, something they've now achieved after Warner and Starc joined batsman Steven Smith (thigh injury) in leaving the tour party.
