Stoinis, Agar lose Australia contracts
MELBOURNE : All-rounder Marcus Stoinis and spin bowler Ashton Agar have been dropped from Australia's contracts list for the 2024/25 season after falling out of favour with selectors.
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MELBOURNE : All-rounder Marcus Stoinis and spin bowler Ashton Agar have been dropped from Australia's contracts list for the 2024/25 season after falling out of favour with selectors.
Veteran Australian batter Cameron Bancroft staked a claim to the vacant opener's slot post David Warner's Test retirement, saying a ‘specialist' should be considered for the position. Warner is all set to retire from Test cricket after the third match against Pakistan, beginning at his home ground SCG from January 3, 2024. In the post Warner-era, Bancroft is in contention to fill the opening role along with Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Green.
David Warner might have endorsed Marcus Harris as his successor for opening slot in Tests, but Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said they are considering a lot more options and Cameron Green is also in contention. Warner will retire from Test cricket after the third match against Pakistan at Sydney beginning on January 3. There have been a lot of debates as to who should replace Warner at pole position with the names of Harris, Green, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft doing the rounds.
Veteran Australian opener David Warner has picked Marcus Harris as his replacement at the top of the order after he quits the longest format of the sport. Warner had already said that the ongoing three-Test series against Pakistan will be his last in the format. While there have been talks about his ideal replacement in red-ball cricket, Warner vouched for the 31-year-old Harris, who he feels has been around for a long time and that the selectors need to show faith in him. "It's a tough one. It's obviously up to the selectors. But from my position, I feel like the person who's worked their backside off and has been there for a while in the background," Warner was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday.
MELBOURNE : Pakistan will hope Shaheen Afridi can bowl himself back into form and his batting team mates can rebuild confidence in a two-day tour match before trying to save the test series against Australia in Melbourne.
Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed were involved in a hilarious conversation regarding an outing after the end of day's play during the ongoing warm-up match against Australia's Prime Minister XI in Canberra. In a conversation captured on the stump mic, the trio can be heard talking about the outing plan in the middle of the match which ends with Babar breaking down in laughter. “Hum time se ready ho jayenge gaye (We'll get ready on time)," Masood said. “Ap time peye aa jana, aap log 3 log log honge na (Please come on time, you'll be three guys, right?," Sarfaraz said. “Aa teeeja kera aa gaya (Where did the third one came from?)," Babar remarked leaving all of them in splits.
David Warner's manager, James Erskine, hit back at former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson, who questioned why the left-handed batter is getting a Test farewell despite his struggles in red-ball cricket and accused him of not owning up to his role in the ball-tampering scandal. Warner stated his intentions to retire from the Test format earlier this year, stating that he would be keen to bring his career in red-ball format to an end at his home ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Writing for The West Australian, Johnson said that Warner's current form and his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal, also known as the 'Sandpaper Gate' do not justify him getting a "hero's send-off".
Uncapped pacer Lance Morris has been included in Australia's 14-man squad for the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, which will be played from December 14 onwards. Morris, nicknamed 'The Wild Thing' for his ferocious pace, has enjoyed a great start to his first-class career, taking 74 wickets in just 22 games so far at an average of 25.44. He could be making his Test debut in front of his home fans in the state of Western Australia.