Rain denies Ashes hopeful Glenn Maxwell final chance to impress selectors

GLENN Maxwell showed Test-style steel to help Victoria salvage a draw against Tasmania after a rain-filled final day at the MCG. But it may not be enough to save his national spot.

Glenn Maxwell walks off a rain-soaked MCG.

GLENN Maxwell showed Test-style steel to help Victoria salvage a draw against Tasmania after a rain-filled final day at the MCG.

But it may not have been enough to save his national spot.

The incumbent Test number six was 20 not out overnight looking to make a big score as a final audition for national selectors who had convened in Brisbane to pick the team for the first Test.

But he didn’t get to hit the crease again until 3:45pm to face a juiced-up pitch and Tassie bowlers keen for a win under gloomy Melbourne skies.

Glenn Maxwell walks off a rain-soaked MCG.

Maxwell survived 24 overs, in two stints, as wickets tumbled around him before he walked from the ground undefeated on 45 when bad light stopped play just after 6pm.

And he left the MCG unsure where his next game would be as selectors opted to wait until the conclusion of the final Shield game between Western Australia and South Australia at the WACA to inform those who had been picked.

Speculation remains rife that Maxwell was set to be overlooked with in-form WA batsman Cameron Bancroft firming as a starter at the Gabba next Thursday.

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The squad for the opening two Ashes Tests will be named on Friday morning and Maxwell, as well as keeper Matthew Wade look likely to be axed from the team which last played in Bangladesh in September.

But while the rumour mill was going in to overdrive, plenty of pundits were at odds over who would in fact be picked, with plenty still advocating Wade would hold on to his spot, while others suggested NSW gloveman Peter Nevill would be welcomed back in to the team.

Wade has had a horror time with the bat through the opening three Sheffield Shield games which were touted as “auditions” for a number of open spots in the Aussie team.

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He has scored just 38 runs through five innings, and while he took seven catches at the MCG, including a stunner on Tuesday morning, runs are the requirement for the national keeper, and it would seem he doesn’t have enough.

Victorian captain Peter Handscomb looms as the only player form the MCG match likely to head to Brisbane for the opening Test, and he goes in with little time at the crease under his belt too.

Handscomb made a duck in the first innings against Tasmania and was bowled for just 13 in is final Shield innings before joining the Aussie squad.

He has made just 157 through six Shield innings this summer and will look to further fine-tune his preparations in the nets next week.

The rain also denied Tasmania the chance for a big victory having set Victoria an unlikely last innings run chase of 453 to win.

The Bushrangers, winless through the opening two matches of the Shield season, were 5/106 when the match was called, still 347 runs short of the target.

BEST OF THE BEST

Likely Aussie XI for the first Ashes Test, and their recent Sheffield Shield form

David Warner – 188 runs @ 31.3 (26, 37, 5, 5, 83, 32), Matthew Renshaw – 70 runs @ 11.7 (16, 1, 1, 19, 17, 16), Usman Khawaja - 347 runs @ 86.75, (78*, 52, 27, 28*, 40, 122), Steve Smith – 295 runs @ 49.2 (44, 9, 76, 127, 3, 9), Peter Handscomb – 157 runs @ 26.2 (13, 0, 43, 58, 9, 34), Cameron Bancroft – 442 runs @ 110.5 (17, 228*, 76*, 86, 18, 17), Peter Nevill – 14 catches, 80 runs @ 26 (17, 32, 11*, 20), Pat Cummins – 6 wickets @ 29 (2/31, 2/52, 2/22, 0/71), Mitchell Starc – 17 wickets @ 12 (4/56, 3/41, 2/46, 8/73), Josh Hazlewood - 6 wickets @ 12 (3/24, 3/49), Nathan Lyon – 9 wickets @ 23.2 (3/59, 1/29, 1/39, 2/56, 2/26)

OR IT COULD BE

Shaun Marsh – 236 runs @ 69

(51, 17, 2, 91, 63, 11)

Glenn Maxwell – 200 runs @ 35

(45*, 4, 60, 64, 7, 20)

Hilton Cartwright – 152 runs @ 25

(18, 35, 0, 0, 61, 38)

Matthew Wade – 10 catches & 38 runs @ 7.6

(5, 9, 17, 1, 6)

Alex Carey – 9 catches and 118 runs @ 29.5

(46*, 36, 20, 12, 4)