Australian News – Glenn Maxwell named in red ball return to Victoria’s 2nd XI

Maxwell has been named in his first four-day international in more than 12 months as he begins to build towards a trip to Australia’s Tests in Sri Lanka early next year.

It is unlikely that Maxwell will play in the next Victoria Sheffield Shield match which will start on Sunday 20 October, just three days after the Second XI match. Some of Australia’s Test players including Steven Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc are set for that match and Scott Boland is likely to return with his Shield for that match.

The rules in the tournament for CA’s Second XI allow 12 players to play in a match, with 11 batting and 11 bowling, meaning that rest and rotation is possible for players during the four days. Maxwell’s career has been closely monitored given the serious leg injury he sustained two years ago. He turns 36 on the first day of the match and has played only two first-class matches in the last five years.

Maxwell looks set to play in the home one-dayer against New South Wales on October 25, possibly featuring Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, but is unlikely to be available for the third or fourth round of Victoria’s Shield alongside Australia’s ODI and and Australia’s ODI. T20I series against Pakistan.

Australian selectors may give him a chance to run in the Prime Minister XI’s two-day pink-ball match against India in Canberra starting on November 30.

Maxwell is a serious contender for Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka given his Test experience on the subcontinent. Maxwell was part of the Sri Lanka tour in 2022 and almost played the first Test in Galle, his ability as a spin-bowling allrounder proving useful in spin situations, especially if the Tests are designed to be low-scoring and fast. .

All his seven Test matches have been played in the subcontinent since he last came to Bangladesh in 2017. The selectors have previously charged that Shield cricket is not related to Test cricket in Sri Lanka as the conditions and style of cricket are very different but it is understood that both Maxwell’s selectors and Australia want him to play red ball cricket in terms of physical condition.

Victoria has also named country captain Will Sutherland in the Second XI after being left out of the first round of the Shield as he continues to bowl following a serious back injury. You will throw under the limits.

Victorian Second XI Team: 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