Glut of white-ball internationals to limit Glenn Maxwell’s Test ambitions
TEST hopeful Glenn Maxwell faces a Catch-22 this summer with so many matches for his country. The problem being they are all using the wrong coloured ball.
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TEST hopeful Glenn Maxwell will have to follow his great mate Aaron Finch’s lead and use white ball runs to get back under a baggy green as the packed cricket calendar hits him hard.
Told to get hundreds by Australian coach Justin Langer when he was overlooked for the Test series against Pakistan, Maxwell will miss the opening four rounds of the Sheffield Shield because of international duties.
Instead of staking his red-ball claims with Victoria at the WACA on Tuesday, Maxwell could be acting as a substitute fielder for Australia in Abu Dhabi with the excess Test players likely to be sent home in time for the second round of shield games.
Maxwell, who turned 30 on Sunday, blew out the candles on his birthday cake before leaving for the United Arab Emirates, earlier than the rest of the T20 squad, which will play three matches against Pakistan beginning October 24.
After that there are one-day games and a T20 international against South Africa, then three more T20s against India through November, with Maxwell’s expected involvement set to prohibit him playing for Victoria until the fifth round of the Sheffield Shield.
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That’s the last game before the first Test against India begins in Adelaide on December 6.
Despite the gallant draw in the opening Test against Pakistan last week there’s every chance one or two spots for the opening match with India could be available.
Batsmen who score heavily in the first four rounds of the Sheffield Shield would have an obvious advantage in pressing their claims.
In Maxwell’s favour however is Langer’s contention that runs in any form, at the right time, can be a path to national selection. His white ball involvement could also prove crucial in securing a spot for next year’s World Cup.
After opening the domestic one-day competition with 80 in Townsville, Maxwell didn’t pass 25 in his next five innings for Victoria, including just nine in the final, which his team won.
Victorian captain Peter Handscomb on the other hand, who was also overlooked for the Pakistan Tests, found considerable form making 361 runs at an average of 51 to lead his team to victory.
Handscomb will look to press his own Test claims when the Vics take on Western Australia from today in a team which includes 20-year-old batting prodigy Will Pucovski and veteran Cameron White.
Leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed, who has regained his Victorian contract after playing a key role in the one-day tournament victory, and fast bowler Andrew Fekete are set to fight for the final spot in the team.
WHERE MAXY WILL BE
T20s - Australia v Pakistan, United Arab Emirates
October 24, 26 and 28
ODIS - Australia v South Africa, Australia
November 4, 9 and 11
T20 - Australia v South Africa, Gold Coast
November 17
T20s - Australia v India, Australia
November 21, 23 and 25
WHERE MAXY WON’T BE
Sheffield Shield
RD 1 WA v Vics, Oct 16-19
RD 2 Vics v NSW, Oct 25-28
RD 3 Vics v SA, Nov 3-6
RD 4 Tas v Vics, Nov 17-20
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Originally published as Glut of white-ball internationals to limit Glenn Maxwell’s Test ambitions