Matthew Renshaw’s call opening batters were hurt by Nathan McSweeney’s Test selection slapped down by Tim Paine

Spinner Ashton Agar displayed some batting bravery as a former Test captain delivered a hard truth to an opening batter upset about being overlooked for Australia.

Former Australian captain Tim Paine says the brigade of opening batters who were overlooked for Australia’s Test team only have themselves to blame to for losing out to makeshift Nathan McSweeney after one-time hopeful Matthew Renshaw declared he and others were “hurt” by the move from selectors.

After making 121 for Queensland on the weekend, which was 50 runs more than the cumulative total of his previous six innings this summer, Renshaw expressed a frustration he said was shared by specialist openers including Victorian Marcus Harris.

Renshaw, who was a replacement batter for the Test team last summer but didn’t even make the Australia A squad last month, was out for 20 on the final day of his team’s clash Sheffield Shield with Tasmania.

In Melbourne Harris, who made 127 runs in four innings against India A, matched his 47 in the opening innings of Victoria’s clash with Western Australia by making an unbeaten 56 as the home team successfully chased down 120 to take down the reigning champions at the Junction Oval. Harris hit a six to seal the win.

Victoria’s run-chase came after former test spinner Ashton Agar batted with one hand, after suffering a shoulder injury, facing five balls, taking a hit to the body, to help add 15 for the final wicket before being bowled, leaving keeper Joel Curtis unbeaten on 115, his maiden century for WA.

Brave stuff by Ashton Agar who batted one-handed due to a shoulder injury to add 15 runs for the 10th wicket 💪 #SheffieldShieldpic.twitter.com/WZQ3pqw9qZ

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 18, 2024

Spinner Corey Rocchiccioli also took a rare hattrick across two innings, removing Peter Siddle with the last ball of Victoria’s first innings, then Ashley Chandrasinghe and Campbell Kellaway with his first two deliveries of the second but it was in vain.

Harris. who was among those in contention for the spot given to McSweeney for Friday’s first Test against India, put on 103 with Victorian captain Peter Handscomb (56 not out) to steer the Vics to their second win in four matches of this Shield season.

The Victorian opener’s innings came after Paine swatted away claims from Renshaw, who had scores of 6, 15, 2, 21 and 25 before passing his century against Tassie, having been reinstalled as an opener for his state in an attempt to help a Test recall, suggested selectors should have picked an opener instead of McSweeney.

“He’s a lovely man, ‘Renners’, and it’s great to see him back in form, but the openers around the country can only blame themselves for Nathan McSweeney being given the opportunity,” Paine told SEN Tassie.

“It was there for the taking, and none of them did it.

“Isn’t it a fascinating mental game though? As soon as that team is named, even in one game here, you have two openers come out smack huge hundreds.”

Marcus Harris was in the runs against WA. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Harris and boom NSW youngster Sam Konstas have 342 and 330 Shield runs respectively so far this season, putting them third and fourth on the most-runs list.

McSweeney is eighth, with 291 runs, including a century, from his four innings this season.

Originally published as Matthew Renshaw’s call opening batters were hurt by Nathan McSweeney’s Test selection slapped down by Tim Paine