Cricket news: Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft set for Sheffield Shield showdown

The Prime Minister’s XI match against Pakistan has been touted as a selection showdown to replace David Warner. But selectors might have their minds made up by the end of what shapes as a decisive week for the contenders.

Australia selectors could get the greatest insight into the race to replace David Warner as Test opener when two of the three key contenders face off in a Gabba shootout starting Tuesday.

Cameron Bancroft and Matthew Renshaw will go head-to-head when Queensland faces Western Australia, with Warner’s planned Test swan song just over a month away.

The venue holds extra significance as it will host Australia’s second Test against the West Indies.

Bancroft is in the frame to end a four-year absence from the Test side and has made a compelling case as the leading run scorer in the Sheffield Shield.

His 10-match Test career is best remembered for his role in the infamous Sandpapergate saga, but Bancroft returned after serving a suspension to feature twice in the 2019 Ashes.

Renshaw, who featured during Australia’s tour of India earlier this year, is viewed as another frontrunner.

Matt Renshaw. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

The Queenslander started his Test career as an opener but was used in the middle-order against India.

Victorian Marcus Harris is the other player in the mix and that trio are poised to feature for the Prime Minister’s XI against Pakistan from December 6-9.

Ex-Aussie paceman and Fox Cricket Brett Lee backed Bancroft or Renshaw to get the first opportunity to fill the Warner void.

Lee said Bancroft “can’t do much more” to have convinced selectors he is worth another chance.

“He’s definitely knocking on the door,” he said.

“I think Renshaw was unfairly dismissed in his short career so far. I think he’s a lot better than what people understand.

“He can put his hand up as well. For me it’s probably those two frontrunners.”

Cameron Bancroft is the leading Sheffield Shield run scorer this summer. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Lee said age could be a determining factor, with Renshaw four years younger than Bancroft and Harris.

Warner has earmarked the New Year’s SCG Test as his farewell and has indicated he will not sign another Cricket Australia contract.

The 37-year-old said in June he “definitely” would not be playing in the January series against the West Indies.

Warner was Australia’s leading runscorer at the World Cup with 535 runs, but Lee said that success was unlikely to make him reconsider his retirement.

“I really hope that if he has made that call, which he has publicly, that will take the pressure off him and he can enjoy this next season coming up,” he said.

“If you think about what’s happened the last 12 months or so, only averaging 22 … he’s better than that. And I think he proved that throughout the World Cup.

“People might say, ‘well, it’s Test cricket versus one-day cricket’. You’re still batting against the same ball.

“With him taking the pressure off himself, watch out for Warner because I reckon he’s due for a big summer.

“I think he will hang up the boots in Sydney, hopefully go out on a high and maybe get close to picking off 26 or 27 Test hundreds to finish his career.”

Australia takes on India in a five-match T20 series which resumes on Monday. Exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports.

PACE LEGEND’S WARNING AFTER GRUELLING WORLD CUP

Josh Hazlewood has been tipped to reassert his status as a top dog of Australia’s pace cartel as Brett Lee urged selectors not to mess around with a rotation policy or rush boom quick Lance Morris in for a premature Test debut.

Hazlewood has played three of a possible 10 home Tests in the past two years, a period in which Scott Boland has emerged as a national hero.

But Fox Cricket expert Lee believes the Pakistan series, which starts next month, will signal the return of “human metronome” Hazlewood to top billing.

Brett Lee urged selectors not to mess around with a rotation policy for the Pakistan Test series. Picture: Mark Stewart

“If you think greats of the game like Jacques Kallis, he was arguably the world’s greatest cricketer,” Lee said.

“He went under the radar because he wasn’t about a headline. He just did his job. It’s the same with Josh Hazlewood. He probably doesn’t get the accolades that he deserves.”

Hazlewood played four of the five Ashes Tests in June and July but was rested from the third match of the series.

No fast bowler delivered more balls at the World Cup than Hazlewood’s 93.1 overs. Fellow Australian quicks Pat Cummins (89.3 overs) and Mitchell Starc (87.0) also shouldered a considerable workload throughout the tournament in India’s hot and humid conditions.

With a 26-day turnaround between Australia’s stunning World Cup final triumph and the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, that trio will be closely monitored before their availability is decided.

Josh Hazlewood has been tipped to reassert his status as a top dog of Australia’s pace cartel, having played just played three of a possible 10 home Tests in the past two years. Picture: AFP

Lee said he hoped Hazlewood, in particular, would be unleashed after two interrupted home summers.

The 32-year-old only featured twice across the West Indies and South African Test series last summer.

“I know he’s come off a few injuries as well, but maybe he needs to go the other way and have a bit more time on the ground as opposed to resting all the time,” Lee said.

“It’s hard when you can’t find rhythm through injuries. I’ve been through it. I just hope Josh Hazlewood this summer, he (backs) up a lot of Test matches.

“I’m not even looking at who will replace him or who will come into the fold. I want to back these three quicks the Aussies have got.”

Of the 10 Tests Hazlewood has played since the start of 2021, five have been overseas – including four in this year’s Ashes.

Only Adam Zampa, who set a new mark for the most wickets by an Australian at a single World Cup with 23, took more wickets than Hazlewood (16) in India.

Lee said he expected Boland to feature against either Pakistan or the West Indies but urged caution when it comes to boom quick Morris.

The West Australian has been on the cusp of a Test debut in the past 18 months, with series against the sixth-ranked Pakistan and eighth-ranked West Indies looming as a potential opportunity to expose him.

“This Australian summer, personally, I’d be focusing on the Australian quicks that we have there that have actually served Australia well and hopefully they can get some bounce out of these wickets,” he said.

“I would take Morris as a back-up bowler, just to have in the nets and get that experience.

“Almost 26 years of age, that would be really helpful for his career moving forward.”

Australia takes on India in a five-match T20 series which resumes on Monday. Exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports.

Originally published as Cricket news: Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft set for Sheffield Shield showdown