Cricket Australia has selected an expanded list of 24 men’s contracted players with a balance of red and white-ball capabilities and as the Ashes, World Test Championship final and 50-over World Cup approaches over the next eight months. (More Cricket News)
The selectors have offered Marcus Harris a national contract while overlooking Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb in the list. Uncapped pace bowler Lance Morris and offspinner Todd Murphy each received their first contracts on Thursday, while fast bowlers Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson are also on the list after being left out last year.
But the biggest surprise was Harris’ return. The opener hasn’t played a test match since January 2022 despite being part of multiple squads, and only represents Australia in longest format.
He had seemingly fallen behind Renshaw in the pecking order, but is now in a rivalry with David Warner to open for Australia in the Ashes in England in June. Warner is currently playing for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, where he is team captain.
Handscomb batted his way back into Australia’s test lineup for the recent India tour after averaging 70 in the Sheffield Shield domestic first-class competition for Victoria, and played all four tests in a series the that hosts won 2-1. Potentially working against him was the fact that in the next year Australia doesn’t tour the subcontinent, where Handscomb is largely considered most effective.
“Two huge challenges in the test arena, in the World Test Championship and the Ashes are on our doorstep followed soon after by the ICC One-Day World Cup,” chief selector George Bailey said. “We have chosen a group of players we expect will form the majority of those two campaigns and we know that we will need a squad mentality to achieve success.”
National men’s cricket contracts in Australia are worth an average of 951,000 Australian dollars ($638,000) under the sport’s new pay deal, with players left off the list automatically upgraded from domestic state team contracts if they play enough international cricket.
The first test of the five-match Ashes series begins at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 16. Just ahead of that match, Australia will play India in the World Test Championship final from June 7-11 at The Oval in London.
The ODI Cricket World Cup begins in India in early October.
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Australia contracted men’s players: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
