Photo Credit: Sydney Sixers
Emerging Sydney Sixers super star Josh Philippe has been selected in his first Australian squad.
On Thursday, Philippe was named in a preliminary One-Day and T20 Australian squad for a proposed tour of England during September.
The 23-year-old Western Australian wicketkeeper-batsman joined fellow Sixers Sean Abbott, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith in the 26-player squad.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a final decision on the tour has not been made and constructive discussions between Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board and all relevant government agencies remain ongoing.
Philippe was the Sixers BBL Player of the Tournament last season and played a pivotal role in the club claiming its second BBL title.
In just his second season as a Sixer, Philippe scored 487 runs at an average over 37 and strike rate nearing 130. His season tally included five fifties, the most crucial of which came in the Final against the Melbourne Stars at the SCG.
In the rain-shortened decider, Philippe made a vital 52 from 29 balls, resulting in Player of the Match honours. His highest score of the season came in Coffs Harbour against the Adelaide Strikers with an unbeaten 83 from 52 balls.
In two seasons with the Sixers, the keeper-batsman has compiled 791 runs, striking at 139.5, and has claimed 23 dismissals behind the stumps including 16 catches.
Provisional Australian squad for possible ODI & T20 tour of England
Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
Alex Carey (South Australia)
Pat Cummins (New South Wales)
Aaron Finch (Victoria)
Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales)
Travis Head (South Australia)
Usman Khawaja (Queensland)
Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)
Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)
Mitchell Marsh (Western Australia)
Glenn Maxwell (Victoria)
Ben McDermott (Queensland)
Riley Meredith (Tasmania)
Michael Neser (Queensland)
Josh Philippe (Western Australia)
Daniel Sams (New South Wales)
D’Arcy Short (Western Australia)
Kane Richardson (South Australia)
Steven Smith (New South Wales)
Mitchell Starc (New South Wales)
Marcus Stoinis (Western Australia)
Andrew Tye (Western Australia)
Matthew Wade (Tasmania)
David Warner (New South Wales)
Adam Zampa (New South Wales)
