Marnus Labuschagne to lead Australia is against New Zealand A in ODIs; Cameron Bancroft has a chance in four-day games
Australia cricket enthusiasts are in for a treat this month as the Australia A side prepare to take on their trans-Tasman rivals from the New Zealand A in an exciting series of matches. The action-packed leg will feature two four-day games and three one-day internationals in Brisbane and Mackay.
On Wednesday (August 9), Australia A announced its squad for both formats and named Marnus Labuschagne as the captain of the 50-over format for the Kiwi challenge. It is noteworthy that Labuschagne was not included in the country’s preliminary 18-man squad for the ODI World Cup in India later this year. However, the series against New Zealand A will provide him with a valuable opportunity to showcase his skills and leadership skills.
In addition to Labuschagne, nine other players in the over-50s team also have experience in international cricket. The newly appointed captain will be supported by a formidable squad of players including Matthew Kuhnemann, Ben McDermott, Todd Murphy and Matt Renshaw, all of whom have donned the Australian colors recently. In addition, top names like Josh Philippe, Ashton Turner, Wes Agar, Gurinder Sandhu and Ben Dwarshuis are the other names with international exposure in the one-day cast.
Cameron Bancroft has an opportunity to claim his spot on the regular test squad:
On the other hand, the four-day format squad revolves around Cameron Bancroft. The opening batsman will look to seize the opportunity to claim Australia’s soon-to-be Test opening spot, which is expected to open following David Warner’s retirement. With fellow contenders Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris opting for a well-earned rest from the series, Bancroft’s performance in the four-day fixtures against New Zealand A could significantly influence his prospects of joining Australia’s regular Test squad.
Bancroft will be backed by an impressive array of talent, including the likes of Wes Agar, Mark Steketee and others from Australia’s A team for the four-day games.
As far as games go, the series will kick off with a four-day game on August 28th, followed by the second match on September 4th. , respectively.
Australia A-Team:
Australia A four-day crew: Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jordan Buckingham, Ben Dwarshuis, Caleb Jewell, Campbell Kellaway, Matthew Kelly, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Joel Paris, Jimmy Peirson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward
Australia One Day Team: Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Liam Hatcher, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben McDermott, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Matt Short, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Ashton faucet