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August 19, 2024
Australia managed to keep their main Test bowlers unchanged throughout last season, and Cameron Green could be key to achieving that again this summer. Captain Pat Cummins anticipates that Green will take on a heavier bowling workload in the upcoming series against India. Australia’s all-rounders, like Green, will play a crucial role in helping the primary pace attack—Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—stay fresh over the course of five Tests in just over seven weeks.
Last season, Australia fielded an unchanged frontline attack across seven Tests against Pakistan, West Indies, and New Zealand. None of those matches lasted five days, and in only three innings did Australia bowl more than 78 overs, which helped keep their fast bowlers well-rested. Green, who rejoined the team after David Warner’s retirement during the series against West Indies, provided an additional bowling option, though he was only required to bowl 42 overs across four Tests.
“It’s been huge [having the allrounders],” Cummins said. “In some ways we haven’t had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches.
“I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We’ll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more. Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more.”
Cameron Green, who has taken 35 wickets in Tests at an average of 35.31, returned to the team earlier this year at No. 4 and impressed with an unbeaten 174 against New Zealand in Wellington. However, there is still some uncertainty about Australia’s top six batting order for the upcoming series against India, particularly with ongoing discussions about Steven Smith’s role as an opener. Despite this, it’s almost certain that Green, along with Mitchell Marsh, will be part of Australia’s top six, assuming they remain injury-free.
“The first point is they both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury,” Cummins said at the launch of Play Cricket week. “We’re really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you don’t necessarily have to have an allrounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option. And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options. It’s a really nice thing to have. Top six should always make the team on their batting.”
Cummins’ fellow bowlers have also said that having a bowling captain has helped manage their workloads. “It’s nice of them to say that, they’d never say it to my face,” Cummins joked. “When I’m at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I’m also doing it down the other end and wouldn’t ask for something I can’t do myself. Maybe there’s a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so.”
Pat Cummins is currently in the early stages of a two-month break from bowling after being left out of Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK. During this time, he’s focusing on fitness to prepare for another intense period of Test cricket, as Australia will head to Sri Lanka shortly after their series against India. Although he’s eager to play in the ODI series against Pakistan in early November and possibly one Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales, he confirmed that it’s unlikely he’ll play for Sydney Thunder in the Big Blast League (BBL).
If Australia needs additional fast-bowling options, they have strong backup beyond their main trio. Scott Boland leads the reserves, with Michael Neser recently touring New Zealand and Lance Morris, who was part of last summer’s squads, now recovering from a back issue. Xavier Bartlett, who earned a central contract after making an impact in white-ball cricket, and Jhye Richardson, who the selectors hope can overcome his injury troubles, are also in the mix.
New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson could potentially join his teammate Finn Allen in the BBL after opting out of a central contract, with Allen already confirmed to play for Perth Scorchers. Additionally, England captain Heather Knight and top-ranked left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone have been nominated for the WBBL draft.
Shamar Joseph, who had a strong start in Test cricket, has also put his name forward for the BBL, while India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is among the first confirmed players for the WBBL draft.
The initial list of ten players for both the BBL and WBBL was released after nominations closed ahead of the drafts on September 1. Although England players like Knight and Ecclestone have been nominated, they won’t be available for the entire WBBL season due to a tour of South Africa starting in late November.
Players on the nomination list have not been signed under the pre-draft mechanism, but 14 of the 20 are eligible to be retained by their current teams. This includes South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, who has helped Adelaide Strikers win back-to-back titles, and Harmanpreet Kaur, who can be retained by Melbourne Renegades. Indian players Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma are also confirmed for the WBBL draft.
Other notable players eligible for retention in the upcoming drafts include Jamie Overton (Adelaide Strikers), Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), James Vince (Sydney Sixers), Alice Capsey (Melbourne Stars), and Shabnim Ismail (Hobart Hurricanes). Although Danni Wyatt withdrew from last season’s Women Big Blast League (WBBL), she remains eligible for retention by Perth Scorchers, having originally been signed through the draft.
Schedule clashes will be a significant concern for the BBL. The West Indies have a Test series against Pakistan starting on January 16, and despite Shamar Joseph’s commitment to being available for Tests, his current status indicates full availability for the BBL, including the finals. James Vince and Alex Hales, however, have contracts with the ILT20, which begins on January 11, potentially affecting their BBL participation. While Overton was also retained in the ILT20, he is currently listed as fully available for the BBL.
Players are drafted into Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze categories, and clubs must select at least two players during the draft. Those signed through pre-draft agreements are allocated a pick that corresponds to their salary band. Any gaps in pre-draft signings are expected to be filled in the coming days.
The WBBL will run from October 27 to December 1, and the BBL from December 15 to January 27.
(retention eligibility in brackets)
Laurie Evans (Perth Scorchers), Lockie Ferguson, Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), Shamar Joseph, Shadab Khan, Jamie Overton (Adelaide Strikers), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars), Jason Roy, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Melbourne Renegades), James Vince (Sydney Sixers)
(retention eligibility in brackets)
Suzie Bates (Sydney Sixers), Alice Capsey (Melbourne Stars), Sophie Ecclestone (Sydney Sixers), Shabnim Ismail (Hobart Hurricanes), Harmanpreet Kaur (Melbourne Renegades), Heather Knight (Sydney Thunder), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Laura Wolvaardt (Adelaide Strikers), Danni Wyatt (Perth Scorchers)
Adelaide Strikers: –
Brisbane Heat: Nadine de Klerk, Colin Munro
Hobart Hurricanes: Chris Jordan
Melbourne Renegades: Hayley Matthews, Tim Seifert
Melbourne Stars: Marizanne Kapp, Tom Curran
Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Finn Allen
Sydney Sixers: Amelia Kerr
Sydney Thunder: Chamari Athapaththu, Sam Billings
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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