Todd Murphy and Lance Morris headline 2023-24 Australian men’s contracts, Handscomb snubbed

A cult hero has earned himself a huge payday after his historic debut in India, while others were less lucky on Cricket Australia’s contract day.

DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 19: Peter Handscomb of Australia walks off after he was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja of India during day three of the Second Test match in the series between India and Australia at Arun Jaitley Stadium on February 19, 2023 in Delhi, India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Bespectacled cult hero Todd Murphy has headlined the latest round of contract offers from Cricket Australia, rewarded for a season that saw him take seven wickets on Test debut in India, bowling himself firmly into the frame as Nathan Lyon’s heir apparent.

He was joined by West Australian fast bowler Lance Morris as first-time contracted players to the national side, with Sean Abbott, Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson all being added to the contract list.

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Victorian batter Marcus Harris has returned to the national contract list despite falling behind Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw last summer as the preferred backup batter.

It’s a sign Harris may be preferred to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order when Australia tours England this winter for the World Test Championship final and the Ashes.

Cameron Bancroft, who made four tons as he finished the summer with 945 Sheffield Shield runs at an average of 59, was overlooked from the list.

Handscomb and Renshaw themselves have missed out on contracts, suggesting that Harris’ strong county record has kept him in selectors’ sights ahead of an away Ashes tour.

Handscomb (right) was the glue that kept Australia’s batting together in India, but there’s no space for him on the extended contract list this year. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

Handscomb’s exclusion may raise the most eyebrows, with the Victorian captain Australia’s fourth-highest run-scorer on the recent tour of India, ahead of the likes of David Warner.

Handscomb is a regular in county cricket, qualifying as a local player as a result of his British passport. Both Handscomb’s parents were English immigrants to Australia.

Despite Handscomb’s experience, he has a middling record in the motherland, never averaging over 45.

However, his most recent resurgence that saw him picked in the national side for the tour of India suggests Handscomb is a different player to the one that first turned out for Gloucestershire in Division Two of the County Championship in 2015.

Mitch Swepson and the retired Aaron Finch came off the list of contracted players, while Matthew Wade and Matthew Kuhnemann received upgrades during the year due to their number of international appearances but were not offered deals for the coming season.

Chair of the National Selection Panel, former national captain George Bailey, said the contract group was selected on the basis of a “squad mentality”.

West Australian Lance Morris has earned a contract despite having not played a Test. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“We have chosen a group of players we expect will form the majority of those (World Test Championship, Ashes and ODI World Cup) campaigns and we know that we will need a squad mentality to achieve that,” he said.

Ahead of a massive year that includes an Ashes tour, World Test Championship final and World Cup, the national side’s annual contract list has revealed where the selectors’ priorities lie moving forward.

With an updated memorandum of understanding with the players’ union, the number of contracts on offer increased from a maximum of 20 last year to 24 this year, and included an increase in the value of contracts, despite commentary that the impending end to Alinta Energy’s deal with Cricket Australia as major sponsor would impact player salaries.

Such commentary hasn’t seemed to worry the governing body in MOU negotiations with the players’ union, with the Big Bash League enjoying a strong year of ratings alongside a monster new television rights deal worth $1.5 billion.

Matthew Renshaw’s Test career seems over, dropped after scoring nine runs at an average of three since his return. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The value of men’s contracts increased by 7.5 per cent in the first year of the new MOU, and then will increase by 2 per cent per annum to an average of $951,000 plus match payments and super.

By 2026-27, the average national men’s contracted cricketer will earn more than $1 million.

It comes as the national women’s side continue to trailblaze, with this season marking an increase in player contract numbers as well as salaries.

The top CA women’s contract holder will earn more than $800,000 a year, on top of whatever earnings they might make in lucrative international franchise competitions such as the Hundred and Women’s Premier League.

Cricket Australia men‘s contract list 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