Cameron Bancroft will have another chance to put pressure on David Warner’s Test opening spot after being named in an Australia A squad to play later this month.
The Sheffield Shield leading run-scorer is the most experienced player named in a 17-man squad for two four-day matches against New Zealand A in Brisbane and Mackay.
A separate squad has been named for three one-day matches following the red-ball games, with Marnus Labuschagne set to line up in the fixtures following his shock omission from Australia’s preliminary World Cup squad announced on Tuesday.
Spinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann have been named in the one-day squad, while Kuhnemann and Mitch Swepson are the two spin options for the four-day games.
Bancroft topped the Sheffield Shield run tally with 945 runs at 59.06, including four centuries last season, but was overlooked for the England tour in favour of Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw.
He played in Somerset’s opening four first-class matches in the County Championship but managed only 137 runs in seven innings with a top score of 44.
The 30-year-old is set to join Tasmanian opener Tim Ward at the top of the order against New Zealand A, with WA coach Adam Voges to coach the side.
Former Australian captain Tim Paine has also been engaged as an assistant coach for the first match of the series.
Chair of selectors George Bailey said the series would be important to flesh out Australia’s red-ball ranks ahead of a summer featuring seven Tests, albeit only five at home against Pakistan and the West Indies.
“This is an important time to continue to build depth through our red-ball squads. It is equally exciting to expose some of our best developing talent to international opposition in one-day cricket as we enter a new World Cup cycle,” Bailey said.
“Ollie Davies, Todd Murphy and Will Sutherland are three young players who have impressed us in limited overs cricket for their states, and we are excited to see what they can produce throughout this series.
“We are committed to expanding the Australia A program and having seen seven players go on to represent Australia after excelling in Australia A matches over the past two years gives us great confidence.”
Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena will host games for the first time since its redevelopment, with its four-day match to be played as a pink-ball game ahead of a day-night Test to open the summer of cricket at the Gabba.
Four-day squad:
Wes Agar (SA – Northern Districts Cricket Club)
Cameron Bancroft (WA – Willetton Premier Cricket Club)
Jordan Buckingham (SA – West Torrens Cricket Club)
Ben Dwarshuis (NSW – Sutherland District Cricket Club)
Caleb Jewell (TAS – North Hobart Cricket Club)
Campbell Kellaway (VIC – Melbourne Cricket Club)
Matthew Kelly (WA – Claremont Nedlands Cricket Club)
Matthew Kuhnemann (QLD – Gold Coast District Cricket Club)
Nathan McAndrew (SA – Woodville District Cricket Club)
Nathan McSweeney (SA – Glenelg Cricket Club)
Joel Paris (WA – Claremont-Nedlands Cricket Club)
Jimmy Peirson (QLD – Redlands CC)
Mitch Perry (VIC – Richmond Cricket Club)
Josh Philippe (WA – Scarborough Cricket Club)
Mark Steketee (QLD – Valley District Cricket Club)
Mitchell Swepson (QLD – Sandgate-Redcliffe Cricket Club)
Tim Ward (TAS – University of Tasmania Cricket Club)
One-day squad:
Wes Agar (SA – Northern Districts Cricket Club)
Ollie Davies (NSW – Manly Warringah District Cricket Club)
Ben Dwarshuis (NSW – Sutherland District Cricket Club)
Liam Hatcher (NSW – Fairfield-Liverpool Cricket Club)
Matthew Kuhnemann (QLD – Gold Coast District Cricket Club)
Marnus Labuschagne (QLD – Redlands Cricket Club)
Ben McDermott (QLD – Gold Coast District Cricket Club)
Todd Murphy (VIC – St Kilda Cricket Club)
Josh Philippe (WA – Scarborough Cricket Club)
Matthew Renshaw (QLD – Toombul District Cricket Club)
Gurinder Sandhu (QLD – South Brisbane Cricket Club)
Matt Short (VIC – Northcote Cricket Club)
Mark Steketee (QLD – Valley District Cricket Club)
Will Sutherland (VIC – Prahran Cricket Club)
Ashton Turner (WA – Fremantle District Cricket Club)
