Spinner Zampa returns to Australia squad for ODI series vs Kiwis, Zimbabwe

Australia leg-spinner and white-ball specialist Adam Zampa has been named to make his return to international cricket after he was included in the side's 14-member squad for the ODI series

Australia leg-spinner and white-ball specialist Adam Zampa has been named to make his return to international cricket after he was included in the side's 14-member squad for the One-day International series against New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

Zampa sat out the recent tour of Sri Lanka as he welcomed his first child, but the 30-year-old spinner has been named in a strong squad for the matches in Queensland in August and September.

Australia will play three matches against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in Townsville, before a similar number of games against Zimbabwe in Cairns.

Test skipper Pat Cummins will be rested for the matches as he prepares for the Australian summer of cricket, while left-handed batter Travis Head will also be sidelined as he awaits the birth of his first child.

Alongside the recall for Zampa, Australia have also included pacer Sean Abbott and fellow spinner Ashton Agar after the two were injured during the Sri Lanka tour.

Mitchell Swepson, Josh Inglis, Jhye Richardson and Matthew Kuhnemann have all been dropped from the squad that lost the ODI series 3-2 to Sri Lanka, with veteran batter Aaron Finch once again named to lead the Australia side.

National selector and former Australia batter George Bailey believes the upcoming matches against New Zealand and Zimbabwe will provide the team with a good challenge ahead of a busy period of cricket.

"These series against New Zealand, the world's No.1 ranked ODI side, and Zimbabwe will be good contests, providing an opportunity to play some great cricket in the lead up to the home summer," Bailey was quoted as saying by ICC on Monday.

"The team is excited to be marking the start of a huge summer with these matches in North Queensland."

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Schedule for New Zealand: August 28, 31 and September 3 (all matches at Riverway Stadium, Townsville).

Schedule for Zimbabwe: September 6, 8, 11 (all matches at Cazaly Stadium, Cairns).

--IANS

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