Australia Check opener
Usman Khawaja has opted to not play for Queensland within the upcoming Sheffield Protect match towards South Australia the place a win would assure a spot within the last, however he may very well be out there 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 have been accepting of Khawaja’s choice with captain
Marnus Labuschagne returning to the lead the facet being away with Australia’s ODI staff 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 anticipated to play towards Queensland and be out there for the Protect last.
Nevertheless, Khawaja’s absence is an odd one given he’s absolutely 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 System 1 Grand Prix as a substitute of taking part in the Protect recreation at Karen Rolton Oval.
The 38-year-old has
managed his scheduled carefully in recent years, valuing relaxation over taking part in a number of back-to-back video games so as to stay mentally and bodily recent for his Check 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 certainly one of Queensland’s first 4 Protect video games to clean up forward of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and understandably missed the Protect 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 Check. Khawaja wasn’t the one Check participant to overlook that spherical however Beau Webster did play for Tasmania, having performed the three most up-to-date Checks for Australia.
Khawaja has already performed 11 first-class matches this summer season together with seven Checks, which is already extra video games and days than any Australian home red-ball solely batter would play in a Protect summer season in whole. He has additionally already captained Queensland to a Protect title again in 2021. Nevertheless, Khawaja is prone to have all of April and Could to relaxation after the Protect season finishes within the last week of March earlier than making ready for 4 Checks in June and July which embrace the WTC last and a three-Check 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 practice all week because of the heavy rain that adopted Cyclone Alfred.
Elsewhere, Australia Check 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 Protect last he’s set for an prolonged interval of relaxation earlier than starting a prolonged build-up in the direction of the WTC last that may function 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 referred to as up former WA fast
David Moody after some sturdy 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
