New South Wales allrounder Jack Edwards has been named captain of a young and dynamic Australia A squad for the upcoming four-day match against England Lions in Sydney, starting on January 30. The squad features emerging fast-bowling allrounders Aaron Hardie and Will Sutherland, along with Kurtis Patterson, Henry Ward, and Matt Goodwin. Although not regulars […]
New South Wales allrounder Jack Edwards has been named captain of a young and dynamic Australia A squad for the upcoming four-day match against England Lions in Sydney, starting on January 30. The squad features emerging fast-bowling allrounders Aaron Hardie and Will Sutherland, along with Kurtis Patterson, Henry Ward, and Matt Goodwin. Although not regulars in their state teams earlier this season, these players have been selected based on their impressive recent performances in the Sheffield Shield.
Kurtis Patterson, 31, makes his return to the Australia A squad for the first time since 2020, bringing a wealth of experience to the team. His inclusion alongside promising younger talents showcases Australia’s strategy of blending youth with experience. The selectors have emphasized recent domestic form over established positions in state XIs, aiming to strengthen the depth of the squad and identify potential future stars.
Visit IPLbookmakers for more up-to-date blog content.
Australia’s selectors have emphasized youth in their latest Australia A squad, retaining only five players from the group that faced India A in two four-day matches last October and November. Jordan Buckingham, Fergus O’Neill, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, and Brendan Doggett have been given another opportunity, with Doggett initially a late injury replacement in the earlier series. Notably, Marcus Harris, Jimmy Peirson, and Nathan McAndrew, who performed admirably in the second match against India A, have not been included this time. Former Test batters Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb also missed out, with Handscomb currently leading the Cricket Australia XI against England Lions in Brisbane.
The squad is missing key experienced players due to injuries. Cameron Bancroft is unavailable after fracturing his shoulder during the Big Bash League, while veteran seamer Michael Neser is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the Australia A game at the MCG. Despite their absence, the selectors have shown a strong commitment to rewarding standout performances in previous Australia A matches, as evidenced by Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, and Beau Webster earning Test debuts during the series against India after excelling against India A. Brendan Doggett’s impressive 6 for 15 in Mackay also secured him a call-up as fast-bowling cover during the India series.
CA-contracted fast bowler Xavier Bartlett has been included after recovering from a side injury that ruled him out of the previous Australia A games. Bartlett brings momentum from his last first-class outing for Queensland before the BBL break, where he took a stellar 5 for 32, offering selectors another strong option in the fast-bowling department. This approach demonstrates the selectors’ focus on building depth and identifying future talent through domestic and Australia A performances.
By overlooking established players like Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, and Peter Handscomb, the selectors have focused on the future of Australian batting, with the notable exception of Kurtis Patterson. Jayden Goodwin and Tim Ward, much like Patterson, have been rewarded for their exceptional recent form in the Shield, despite not being in their respective states’ first-choice XIs earlier in the summer. Ward, 26, has had a strong comeback after being dropped by Tasmania last season. He played four matches for Australia A against New Zealand A in 2023, scoring three half-centuries in eight innings. Since his recall in November, Ward has amassed scores of 51, 92, 96, 7, and 142.
Goodwin, 23, is currently playing alongside Ward for the Cricket Australia XI and is highly regarded by national selectors. Though his first-class average stands at 32.38 across 27 innings, his recent performances in the Shield have been impressive, scoring 94, 139, and 69, with the latter two knocks coming in a pink-ball game against South Australia. Goodwin’s strong form, particularly in the latter half of the year, has earned him a place in the Australia A squad. His partnership with Ward could prove to be a vital one for Australia A in their upcoming series.
Aaron Hardie and Will Sutherland bring additional depth to the squad, with Hardie being the only player also selected for Australia’s Champions Trophy squad. Despite recent injury concerns, including an ongoing quad issue, Hardie has a century for Australia A in New Zealand in 2023 and has played just one first-class match this summer. Sutherland, 25, is the only full-time Shield captain in the squad, while Jack Edwards, the newly named captain of Australia A, has taken the reins for New South Wales during the Shield season and will now represent Australia A for the first time. Edwards has a solid record with both bat and ball, averaging 28.21 with the bat and 26.69 with the ball in his 37 first-class matches for New South Wales.
Australia A squad: Jack Edwards (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Brendan Doggett, Jordan Buckingham, Jayden Goodwin, Aaron Hardie, Fergus O’Neill, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe (wk), Corey Rocchiccioli , Will Sutherland, Tim Ward
Read More: David and Wade Propel Hurricanes to Victory Despite Bethell’s Heroics