Shield merry-go-round hots up
The central contracts are critical in allowing states to plan their moves, given centrally contracted players do not count towards the domestic salary cap.
As revealed by this column, Test spinner Matt Kuhnemann is being courted by Tasmania and will almost certainly move to the state from Queensland.
Likewise, one-time wunderkind Jason Sangha is poised for a move to South Australia after his career stagnated in NSW.
The Blues remain heavily linked to Victorian top-order
West Indies.
It’s expected the national selection panel will bypass Renshaw, Harris and Cam Bancroft, effectively leaving the race wide open to be next Test batting cab off the rank ahead of the Aussies’ next redball assignment against India in late November.
Off-spinner Todd Murphy is set to hold on to his spot despite a middling Sheffield Shield season with Victoria, as is Scott Boland despite carrying the drinks for the Test season. jet and former Test batter Nic Maddinson, who joined the Vics after leaving NSW in 2019.
The future of NSW veteran Daniel Hughes is up in the air despite another stellar whiteball campaign, while there remains noise around ex-Test batter Kurtis Patterson after he fell out of favour in NSW.
Queensland paceman Will Prestwidge is another being linked with a move to Tassie.
Injury-riddled paceman David Grant is expected to drop off South Australia’s list,
Several players, including Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa, could also be in line for two-year deals, joining a group that is already on multi-year contracts as part of a mechanism to push back against the threat of franchise T20 raiders.
Players can be selected for international cricket from outside the central list and earn upgrades if they tip over a points threshold. Short, Hardie, Ellis and T20 gun Tim David triggered the upgrade clause in the past 12 months. while Joe Burns’ time with the Bulls is done.
Will Pucovski’s future in Victoria and cricket more generally hangs in the balance.
The one-Test opener is having medical tests following his latest concussion earlier in the month, while former Shieldwinning captain Travis Dean is likely to pull the pin.
Nathan McSweeney will remain with the Redbacks despite interest from Queensland in luring the rising star back to the Sunshine State.