Australia forced into squad changes for South Africa series

Australia have been dealt a blow with news that three key players will miss this month's ODI series against South Africa due to injury.

Batting duo Matt Short (side) and Mitch Owen (concussion) and all-rounder Lance Morris (back) will be sidelined for the three-match series that commences in Cairns on August 19, with the side drafting in spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, pacer Aaron Hardie and all-rounder Cooper Connolly as their replacements.

Short hasn't recovered from the side injury he picked up at training during the recent white-ball series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, while Morris has reported back soreness and been sent back to Perth for further examination.

Owen, meanwhile, picked up delayed concussion symptoms following a blow on the helmet during the second T20I against the Proteas and will be forced to sit out the final match of the T20I series and the entire ODI series due to Cricket Australia's 12-day concussion protocols.

Both Kuhnemann and Hardie are already in Queensland as part of the squad that is contesting the T20I portion of the white-ball series, with the series heading to a deciding third match on Saturday.

The opening match of the ODI series will be held in Cairns, before the series switches to Mackay for the final two contests on August 22 and 24.

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa