Queensland paceman Michael Neser has opened up about his surprise snub from Australia’s Ashes squad, confessing he was “really disappointed” to miss out on selection after another prolific home summer with the ball.
The right-armed seamer was included in Australia’s 2019 Ashes squad, but didn’t make his Test debut until the 2021/22 home summer. He has taken seven wickets at 16.71 in his two Test appearances, both during day-night fixtures at Adelaide Oval.
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Neser is coming off a superb Sheffield Shield campaign, claiming 40 wickets at 16.67 and contributing 357 runs at 35.70 with the bat, including a century against New South Wales in Sydney. The 33-year-old, a perennial 12th man in Australia’s Test team, was named Player of the Sheffield Shield this summer, also winning the coveted Ian Healy Trophy.
He was also the Brisbane Heat’s leading wicket-taker in the Big Bash League last summer with 26 scalps at 19.03, including a hat-trick against the Melbourne Renegades in December.
Neser also boasts an impressive first-class record in England, taking 62 wickets at 22.54 in 15 matches for Glamorgan in the County Championship since 2021.
However, Neser was omitted from Australia’s 17-player squad for the first two Tests of the upcoming Ashes series, with the visitors only selecting four strike seamers — Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
“Both Michael Neser and Cameron Bancroft missing from the Ashes squad is puzzling,” former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody tweeted last week.
“One thing that should remain consistent is rewarding performances.”
Former Victoria and South Australia batter Darren Berry posted: “Selection is never easy and selectors are always under scrutiny. Thankless task sometimes. I really feel for Michael Neser who absolutely deserves to be in the Ashes squad.”
Speaking to The Courier Mail this week, Neser confessed he was initially disheartened by the Ashes snub before chief selector George Bailey reassured him he could still be part of the marquee series.
The Queenslander will be representing Glamorgan in England this winter, and Australia has the luxury of calling upon his services if required.
“I was really disappointed at the start but I had a very good conversation with George Bailey and he was pretty clear about where I stand,’’ Neser told the News Corp publication.
“He told me it’s a long tour and they can bring me in at any stage depending on conditions. At least I am over here and playing cricket. That is a positive.
“Obviously I would have loved being part of that squad, but that is how it is.
“If one of the bowlers goes down or there are suitable conditions I still might be required.
“It was the best season I have had to date. On a positive note I do get called in I will be coming in with matches under my belt.’’
Neser’s omission prompted accusations that his County Championship stint worked against him, but Bailey clarified that selectors were wary of choosing “superfluous” players who end up serving as net bowlers for two months.
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“We’ve got Sean Abbott and Michael Neser over there playing county cricket, so they’re obviously on the ground playing lots of cricket, so we can call on them if we need,” Bailey explained to reporters last week.
“It’s great to have so many players playing county cricket, we’ll keep an eye on all the guys that are over there playing.
“We’ve got our first-choice four quicks over there, and then if we do need to call upon another quick, we can be really specific around who we need and why, and not necessarily have someone in the squad who ends up being superfluous.”
Neser, who earned a national contract earlier this month, claimed 2-81 for Glamorgan in last week’s rain-affected draw against Durham in Cardiff, while teammate Marnus Labuschagne snared four wickets with his off-spin.
Glamorgan will next face Leicestershire at Grace Road, with the first ball scheduled for 8pm AEST on Thursday.
