Cricket Australia has opted to turn the annual Prime Minister’s XI match into a legitimate selection trial, with all three front-runners to replace David Warner picked to face Pakistan.
Often earmarked as a fixture for rising talent, selectors have picked a genuine Test second XI for the four-day fixture at Manuka Oval, beginning December 6.
Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft will all feature, while Cameron Green, Michael Neser and Todd Murphy are among others picked.
Harris remains the likely frontrunner to replace Warner once the veteran retires following his home Test at the SCG in early January.
Western Australia’s Cameron Bancroft. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
A back-up batsman on the recent Ashes tour, Harris has long been the next in line for the selectors and was handed a national contract earlier this year.
But he faces significant competition from Renshaw and Bancroft.
Harris returned to form in the most recent two Sheffield Shield games, making scores of 164 and 73, but his average for the summer remains at 39.
Renshaw has hit 305 runs at 33.88 for Queensland, while Bancroft is the Shield’s leading run-scorer with 505 at 63.13 after also topping the charts last year.
Runs in Canberra against a Test attack would likely carry some weight for when selectors make a call for the first Test of the post-Warner era against West Indies at Adelaide Oval in January.
“With a heavy workload of Test cricket coming this summer, this match provides an opportunity to continue to build depth around our national red-ball squad,” chief selector George Bailey said.
“We’re pleased to reward some of our leading first-class performers over multiple seasons with an opportunity to face quality international opposition.
“Selection in the Prime Minister’s XI is a great honour for any cricketer and plays an important part of our men’s representative program, along with recent Australia A series.”
The timing of the match, along with Cricket Australia’s desire to pick a legitimate top-line squad, is believed to has caused some tension with Big Bash League clubs.
Players named in the team will be unable to play in the opening three nights of the BBL, which begins on December 7.
The Brisbane Heat are by far the most impacted with four players selected in the PX’s XI side and matches against the Melbourne Stars and Adelaide Strikers on December 7 and 9.
AAP understands Test players could potentially be cleared to play for their franchises in early-season matches to make up the void, with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne both on the Heat’s books.
Australian Test players are scheduled to enter camp in Perth on December 9, ahead of the opening match of the summer against Pakistan on the 14th.
Australia’s white-ball cricketers would also be due back in the country from the T20 series against India just before the start of the BBL.
PM’S XI: Nathan McSweeney, Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Renshaw fails too often. Big failures.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
I didn't have time to find the county stats. These were just Shield stats and Aust A games.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
I think he's gone really well actually. Since he's returned to opener at the start of the 2022/23 shield season he's opened in 23 first class innings to make 1129 runs at 56.25 with 5 centuries and 5 fifties. In the same period Cameron Bancroft has also done really well. He's opened in 32 first class innings and made 1534 runs at 54.78 with 6 centuries and 4 fifties. Bancroft got to play in a few more innings because Renshaw missed the second half of the shield season because he was in and around the test squad. They would both be very deserving of an opportunity and just by the stats there is a split hair between them. I'll concede that Bancroft is in better form at the in the first half of this shield season but on the same token its a concern that Bancroft has failed to get to 50 in his four most recent opportunities with Australia A while Renshaw has handled the step up and plundered runs. It's clear you've got a WA bias towards Bancroft and as QLDer I've got one towards Renshaw, the difference is I don't allow mine to suggest that Bancroft shouldn't be in the running at all like you do with Renshaw. Stats don't tell the whole story but they also can't be ignored either.
Opeo
Roar Rookie
"So your solution then would clearly be to pick Bancroft in Australia and Harris in England?" I do not dislike that idea.
Opeo
Roar Rookie
It could be a four-way battle. If Green does well for WA and Australia over the next month or so I would be happy to see him replace Warner at the top of the order.
The Idiot
Roar Rookie
Let's hope Green does well and they select him instead of the tried-and-failed, i-only-know-one-way Marsh; who belongs only in the white-ball format. Bancroft is the clear stand-out performer of those 3 openers in FC cricket in recent times. So why is Harris the front-runner? I suspect Bancroft faces behind-the-scenes opposition from Cummins and his quick-blowing mates; still smarting from Bancroft's hint about those bowlers probably knowing about the ball-tampering
The Knightwatchmen who say Nii
Roar Rookie
Why would you want to replace David Warner in the PM XI? Is our talent pool really that thin that Warner would be selected by the PM in the first place?
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
Let's challenge the selectors who have bought us repeated, sustained success in 2023. Intriguing ...
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
“I simply don’t respect those who indulge in ridicule” - Don Freo, November, 2023.
Shire
Roar Rookie
Sorry, but do we NEED Green and Marsh to be in the same team? Four right arm pace bowlers is a bit over the top.
Shire
Roar Rookie
Green is the likely successor to Smith at #4. That leaves the #6 spot open for a more aggressive hitter or possibly another all-rounder such as Hardie. This is assuming that Head doesn't move up the order, which is possible in future, but he's clearly very comfortable at #5 at the moment.
Bretto
Roar Rookie
Tom - don't waste your time.... Don has never let facts get in the way of his unrelenting WA bias. If you are from WA then you are a genius, if you are not from WA, you are given a free ride by the eastern states cabal. Best to take the comments as delusional from old man yelling at clouds and it can be quite amusing.
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
It's OK, he's moving house. This is his excuse for today.
Tom
Says the compulsive liar.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Seems like Tom and Barb are the same person.
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
The use of sandpaper does.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Tom?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You have a real character issue.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Bancroft is dominating Shield batting. He gets picked. Mickey Mouse cricket means nothing. As for your abuse, all that does is characterise yourself.
Sportstragic
Roar Rookie
Don, do you actually follow domestic cricket? or have any knowledge about it? If you did follow domestic cricket you know that you were wrong. Its ok to admit that you are wrong