MAXI MISSION

Vics’ secret plan to keep him in No.6 slot

THE plan for Glenn Maxwell to retain his place in the Test team is locked and loaded — but it is also being kept a Victorian secret.

Maxwell, the incumbent Test No.6, is among a bunch of contenders who will push for selection in the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane through the first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield.

Victoria opens its campaign against Queensland at the Gabba on Thursday and Bushrangers coach Andrew McDonald said selectors had slotted in the all-rounder to play a “different” role than last year for the three-time defending Shield champion.

Last summer Maxwell, after not being selected for the opening Shield game, was forced to bat behind then Victorian captain Matthew Wade when he made it back into the Bushrangers’ line-up.

It did not sit well with him, and he publicly expressed his disappointment, calling situation “painful”.

But Maxwell pushed through the pain and found himself back under the baggy green in the subcontinent.

He played Tests in India then Bangladesh, knocking up his maiden Test ton in Ranchi in March. In eight innings batting at No.6 for Australia, he racked up 277 runs, but selectors have made it clear going into the home summer that batting berth, as well as the wicketkeeping position, is “wide open”.

McDonald would not reveal what the plan was for Maxwell at the Gabba on Thursday, but said it was based purely on what was best for Victoria, and anything that came from that was a bonus.

“We’ve locked it in. We won’t give that away at this stage. He’ll have a role which is slightly different to last year,” he said. “We didn’t have a specific conversation around what they might do at Australian level. The reason for that is the selectors of the Australian team sit around a table and subjectively pick a side and a batting order and we can’t control that. We can only control the performance at our level.”

McDonald said Maxwell was happy to fill the role he had been asked to for Victoria because he wanted to get some cricket after a stop-start white ball tour of India.

He was dropped during the one-day series then only batted once in three T20 matches.

Maxwell managed just one domestic oneday game for Victoria.

That makes output in the opening round of Shield games extra important as Maxwell battles with the likes of Shaun Marsh and Hilton Cartwright for that Ashes berth.

“I think he is really looking forward to some match opportunities,” McDonald said.

“I think he is looking forward to contributing for Victoria, he is really up for that. I’m sure that deep down he is looking to perform, but for Victoria first and foremost.”