Cricket: Smith to lead revitalised Australian limited-overs squad

Reuters - Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, spinner Ashton Agar and batsman Joe Burns are set to make their one-day international debuts in Britain as the world champions seek to regenerate following their fifth World Cup triumph in March.

Steve Smith will lead a youthful 15-man squad shorn of fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood for a one-dayer against Ireland in Belfast on Aug 27, followed by five ODIs and a Twenty20 match against England.

Johnson and Hazlewood will be rested after the Ashes Test series, which Australia have lost 3-1 with a match in hand, Cricket Australia said today.

All-rounder James Faulkner was not considered as he is serving a team suspension for being convicted last month in England of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Western Australian Stoinis, a medium-pace bowler, is the chief beneficiary of Faulkner's omission and has recently played on Australia A's tour of India.

"Marcus has performed very well in India during the four-day series and we have always liked that option of the extra all-rounder in our side, so with James Faulkner's unavailability, this is a great opportunity for Marcus," chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said of the 25-year-old.

Matthew Wade has taken the gloves in place of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who along with former captain Michael Clarke, retired from the limited-overs format after the World Cup final in Melbourne in March.

The squad also sees the return of proven Test and one-day bowler James Pattinson, who joined the Australia A side in India after recovering from a string of injuries. "The squad we have selected has a few fresh faces in it as well as some experienced players that will provide us with the right balance," Marsh said.

Highly-fancied 25-year-old Burns made his Test debut against India in Australia's home summer and scored two half-centuries in his second match against the tourists in Sydney but missed out on a spot in the Ashes squad.

Agar has returned to international cricket for the first time since his memorable Test debut against England in the 2013 Ashes when he scored a record 98 as a 19-year-old number 11 batsman.

He has been chosen as the lone spinner in the squad, meaning there is no place for Pakistan-born leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed.

T20 captain Aaron Finch was not available after breaking his foot for English county side Yorkshire.

Squad: Steve Smith (capt), Ashton Agar, George Bailey, Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Patrick Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Shane Watson, David Warner, Cameron Boyce (T20 only)