Cricket Australia will keep a tight leash on West Australian pace twins Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson, with the pair both retained on the list of nationally-contracted players.
Cooper Connolly has been snubbed, despite playing all three formats for Australia in the period that ended with a Champions Tropy semifinal loss he opened the batting in.
Fellow West Aussie white-ball gun Aaron Hardie has also been dumped. The all-rounder has played 13 one-day internationals and 13 twenty20 matches for Australia since the middle of 2023.
The 23-man list points heavily towards Australia’s plans for next summer’s blockbuster home Ashes and covers a bumper period that also includes home series against India and South Africa.
Summer sensation Sam Konstas has been handed his first deal, ahead of fellow top-order hopeful Nathan McSweeney, who played three Tests in the home series against India.
WA has five players — Morris, Richardson, Cam Green, Josh Inglis and Mitch Marsh — on the list. Marsh is Australia’s T20I captain and has been retained despite falling out of the Test side.
Morris and Richardson’ retention on the list shows they are in consideration for Ashes Tests. Richardson was sent for shoulder surgery late in the Big Bash League in January so that he would be fit in time to play Sheffield Shield matches and prove his fitness for that series.
Rapid-quick Morris played just one match — a one-dayer against Pakistan in Perth — during the most recent contracting period.
Long-time Test pace backup Scott Boland has another deal, but Michael Neser has missed out.
Hardie was Australia’s most regular player in the lead-up to February’s Champions Trophy, but didn’t feature in that tournament. There had been growing frustration on a WA front around the management of his early-season quad injury and he battled with the bat during the Perth Scorchers’ campaign.
The contract list includes emerging white-ball bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis, as well as new ODI opener Matt Short.
Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann’s whirlwind season has continued. He has been given his first national deal just weeks after he was accused and later cleared of a suspect bowling action.
Beau Webster — who has played three of Australia’s four most recent Tests — has won his maiden deal.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au