Australia Take a look at opener
Usman Khawaja has opted to not play for Queensland within the upcoming Sheffield Defend match towards South Australia the place a win would assure a spot within the ultimate, however he might be obtainable for the decider in the event that they get there.
Khawaja was not named in Queensland’s 14-man squad after informing Queensland’s selectors that he was unavailable. Queensland Cricket had been accepting of Khawaja’s choice with captain
Marnus Labuschagne returning to the lead the facet being away with Australia’s ODI workforce on the Champions Trophy.
Khawaja is not the one Cricket Australia contracted participant lacking with
Xavier Bartlett additionally unavailable for the rest of the season as he heads off to play within the IPL for Punjab Kings.
Travis Head,
Jake Fraser-McGurk and
Spencer Johnson are all unavailable for South Australia for the rest of the season as they’re IPL certain however
Alex Carey is predicted to play towards Queensland and be obtainable for the Defend ultimate.
Nonetheless, Khawaja’s absence is an odd one given he’s totally match and produced match-winning scores of
127 and 33 not out in Queensland’s win over Tasmania to place the Bulls again in rivalry for the ultimate. Khawaja has opted to fly from Brisbane to Melbourne to spend the weekend watching the Australian Formulation 1 Grand Prix as an alternative of enjoying the Defend recreation at Karen Rolton Oval.
The 38-year-old has
managed his scheduled rigorously latelyvaluing relaxation over enjoying a number of back-to-back video games to be able to stay mentally and bodily contemporary for his Take a look at commitments as he makes an attempt to increase his profession so long as potential. That administration plan has been supported by Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket.
He missed one in all Queensland’s first 4 Defend video games to clean up forward of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and understandably missed the Defend recreation towards Western Australia that began 9 days after the tour of Sri Lanka the place he scored a career-best 232 not out within the first Take a look at. Khawaja wasn’t the one Take a look at participant to overlook that spherical however Beau Webster did play for Tasmania, having performed the three most up-to-date Assessments for Australia.
Khawaja has already performed 11 first-class matches this summer time together with seven Assessments, which is already extra video games and days than any Australian home red-ball solely batter would play in a Defend summer time in complete. He has additionally already captained Queensland to a Defend title again in 2021. Nonetheless, Khawaja is more likely to have all of April and Might to relaxation after the Defend season finishes within the ultimate week of March earlier than making ready for 4 Assessments in June and July which embrace the WTC ultimate and a three-Take a look at tour of the Caribbean. He will not have any worldwide commitments thereafter till the Ashes start in late November.
In the meantime, Khawaja’s Queensland teammates travelled to Adelaide early to get an additional day of coaching in on Thursday forward of the match beginning on Saturday because the squad couldn’t prepare all week because of the heavy rain that adopted Cyclone Alfred.
Elsewhere, Australia Take a look at fast
Scott Boland has been dominated out of Victoria’s must-win match towards WA on the WACA floor. Boland suffered some knee soreness within the aftermath of the loss to South Australia and if Victoria are unable to qualify for the Defend ultimate he’s set for an prolonged interval of relaxation earlier than starting a prolonged build-up in direction of the WTC ultimate that can characteristic some bowling in Melbourne and up-to three coaching camps in Brisbane.
Victoria captain
Will Sutherland returns after being rested from the loss towards South Australia and
Peter Siddle has additionally been included within the 13-man squad. Victoria have additionally known as up former WA fast
David Moody after some robust performances for Victoria’s second XI.
Queensland squad vs South Australia: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Jackson Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth
Victoria squad vs Western Australia: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Blake MacDonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle
