Cricket Australia contract list: Mitchell Swepson cut, no room for Peter Handscomb, Matt Renshaw or Cameron Bancroft

Cricket Australia has confirmed its men’s contract list for a massive year featuring the Ashes, World Test Championship final and World Cup, with Mitch Swepson axed and three batting hopefuls missing out.

Mitchell Swepson has missed out on a Cricket Australia contract. Picture: Matt Roberts/Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson’s international career is at the crossroads after he was axed from Cricket Australia’s expanded men’s contract list for 2023-24.

But CA has rewarded its deep pool of seam bowlers with Jhye Richardson, Lance Morris, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott all added to the 24-man list.

As first flagged by CODE Sports on Wednesday, opener Marcus Harris has also been added to the central list, which is up from 20 players last year following a change in the recently signed memorandum of understanding.

Having long waited in the wings of Australia’s Test squad, Swepson finally received his baggy green in Pakistan last year, playing four Tests across that tour and the ensuing series in Sri Lanka, taking 10 wickets at 45.8.

But the Queenslander, 29, fell back in the pecking order across the tail of the summer, with Ashton Agar, Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann all picked ahead of him at various stages.

Despite his Test career appearing all but over, Agar’s white-ball prowess has kept him on the CA list, while Murphy is added for the first time after a breakout year. Kuhnemann however has been bypassed given Australia does not tour Asia for Test cricket in the next year.

Harris had missed the tour of India, with Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw preferred, however their selections on the subcontinent have proven to be horses for courses picks, with Harris in the box seat for this year’s Ashes tour ahead of Handscomb, Renshaw and the resurgent Cameron Bancroft, none of whom have received central deals.

Veteran national squad member Neser has finally been allotted a spot in a nod to his outstanding consistency across domestic cricket and strong performances in occasional chances for Australia.

Marcus Harris is in prime position for an Ashes call-up. Picture: Albert Perez/Cricket Australia via Getty Images

There is also a recall for Richardson, who remains in selectors’ thoughts despite injury issues in recent seasons.

“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. 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,” CA selection chief George Bailey said.

“As we find each year now, there is a lot of cricket in the next six to 12 months and our depth will be tested. The six Test matches during the winter are in relatively short succession and we have a busy period of white ball cricket leading up to, and post, the ODI World Cup.

“The NSP (national selection panel) support and endorse the change to the MOU agreement which allows further scope for additional contracts which in turn creates additional depth to call on in the next period, as well as retaining the ability to utilise others from outside of this list.”

As revealed by CODE Sports earlier this week, T20 specialists like Nathan Ellis and Tim David can more readily be upgraded to central contracts after a change to points system in the new MOU. Aaron Finch is the only other player to drop off last year’s list after his international retirement.

Cricket Australia contracted men’s players 2023-24

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

Originally published as Cricket Australia contract list: Mitchell Swepson cut, no room for Peter Handscomb, Matt Renshaw or Cameron Bancroft