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 ap-proaches over the next eight months.
The selectors have offered Marcus Harris a na-tional 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 com-petition 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 Aus-tralia doesn’t tour the subcontinent, where Hand-scomb 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. —AFP
