The all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will be making his red-ball return for Australia’s second Xl four-day competition after being named in Victoria’s 12-man squad to play against Queensland at the Junction Oval.
Maxwell was named for his first four-day match after 12 months as he is set to build towards targetting Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka early next year. Maxwell who was part of the recently concluded Australia squad for England tour.
Glenn Maxwell will play in Victoria’s next Sheffield Shield match which starts on October 20, just three days after the completion of the second Xl game.
Some of Australia’s players Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc also will feature in the match while Scott Boland will likely make his Shield return in that game as well.
The CA’s second Xl competition allows for 12 players to play in the game with 11 batting and 11 bowling, meaning rest and rotation is possible for players within the four days.
Maxwell has been monitored after the leg injury he suffered two years ago. He will be turning 36 on the first day of the match and has played only two first-class matches in the last five years.
“I think he’s an option for the tour of Sri Lanka in January so they want him playing against a red ball,” Rogers said of Maxwell.
“This is an opportunity for us – anytime you get the chance to throw in someone like that to talk about batting and fielding and strategy, that’s great for us as well. We’ll have to wait and see after that about the Shield game against NSW.”
Beau Webster who has his test hopes with a ton of his own in Tasmania’s first inning of 9/527, admitted he has struggled to ignore recent speculation over Green’s injury situation.
“It’s everywhere, all the media, whether he’s going to bowl or not or can bat or not or surgery or things like that. But there’s a lot of other good allrounders around the country,” Webster said on Thursday.
“I’d love to (play for Australia A), I think I’m in good form and can hopefully press my case there if I do get an opportunity,” said Webster. “But just trying to pile on as many runs as I can now for Tassie.
“I’m a free-flowing player, my defence isn’t the best part of my game, I’m an attacking player … I feel like I’ve been batting well for 18 months now, I’ve got a routine down pat and whatever the conditions offer, I feel like I’ve got a game plan that can have success.”
Glenn Maxwell looks to play the one-day domestic fixture against New South Wales on October 25, which could feature Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, but he is unlikely to be available for the third or fourth Shield rounds for Victoria which will coincide with Australia’s ODI and T20I series against Pakistan.
He will be back for the fifth and sixth shield games before the BBL begins and appears set to play at least one of those. Australia’s selectors could also give him a two-day pink ball Prime Minister’s Xl game against India in Canberra starting on November 30.
Maxwell was part of the Sri Lanka tour in 2022 and nearly played the first test in Galle, with his ability as a spin bowling all-rounder as an asset.
His seven test matches have been played on the subcontinent with his last coming in Bangladesh in 2017. The selectors have indicated previously that Shield cricket has no relevance to Test cricket in Sri Lanka and the style of cricket is vastly different but it is understood both Maxwell and Australia’s selectors are keen for him to play some red-ball cricket.
Will Sutherland has been named as state captain Will Sutherland to play in the second Xl game after he was left out of the first Shield round as he continues to build his bowling following a serious back injury.
Victorian second Xl Squad: Will Sutherland (c), Austin Anlezark, Liam Blackford, Dylan Brasher, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Jai Lemire, Reilley Mark, Glenn Maxwell, Jon Merlo, David Moody, Doug Warren
