A change of the guard in Australia’s ODI team is in the works, with a crop of young white-ball stars earning national contracts for the 2024/25 season.
Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matt Short and Aaron Hardie were each offered Cricket Australia contracts for the first time, while one-day veterans Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Agar were left off the list.
The upcoming T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, which gets underway in June, falls under the previous contracting period, meaning short-format specialists were more likely to miss out.
Uncontracted players can receive an upgrade during the 2024/25 season by accruing 12 points through selection; five points are awarded for a Test match, two for an ODI and two for a T20I.
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WINNERS
Xavier Bartlett
Less than two months after his international debut, Bartlett was the biggest surprise among the 23 names in Cricket Australia’s national contract list for the 2024/25 season.
The Queensland seamer has only represented Australia three times, taking ten wickets at 7.50 including consecutive four-wicket hauls against the West Indies last month.
The 25-year-old was the leading wicket-taker of the recent Big Bash League campaign with 20 scalps at 14.70 to help the Brisbane Heat win their second title.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon, national selector George Bailey declared that Bartlett was in contention for selection for all three formats.
“We’ve had Xavier on the radar for some time,” Bailey said.
“The challenge for him is getting some continuity on the park and getting some cricket in.
“We certainly like the skillet across all three formats.”
Aaron Hardie
Having effectively replaced West Australian teammate Marcus Stoinis on the national contract list, Hardie has all but cemented his status as Mitchell Marsh’s long-term replacement across formats.
The talented all-rounder, who was upgraded to the contract list last summer, made his international debut on the back of stellar performances for the Perth Scorchers and Western Australia.
Although a Test debut could be a while off for Hardie, his versatility and captaincy potential makes him an exciting prospect for Australia ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy and 2027 World Cup.
Matt Short
The player of the Big Bash League for two consecutive seasons, Short has developed into a white-ball powerhouse following another prolific summer with the Adelaide Strikers and Victoria.
The 28-year-old slugger made his international debut last year, representing Australia in four ODIs and nine T20Is since the white-ball tour of South Africa.
Not only is he capable of batting anywhere in the top seven, Short can serve as an extra bowling option with his part-time off-spin.
Nathan Ellis
Ellis has become one of the most sought-after bowlers on the T20 circuit, with the Tasmanian seamer turning heads with superb performances in India, England and Australia.
The 29-year-old, who is a strong chance of featuring in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, currently averages 17.00 with the ball in T20Is, continually pressing his case for more opportunities in the national side.
Todd Murphy
Murphy remains Australia’s second-choice Test spinner despite an underwhelming Sheffield Shield campaign with Victoria.
The off-spinner claimed 17 wickets at 38.00 in this summer’s red-ball tournament, while Western Australia’s Corey Rocchiccioli finished with 46 scalps at 27.60 to help the reigning champions secure a rare three-peat.
Murphy remains the most likely candidate to partner Lyon in Sri Lanka next year, but Rocchiccioli’s rapid rise has given national selectors plenty to ponder.
Jhye Richardson
The injury-riddled Richardson has not represented Australia in nearly two years, but national selectors have shown their faith in the West Australian quick by offering him another contract for the 2024/25 season.
The 27-year-old ]appeared in just two Marsh Cup games, one Sheffield Shield match and eight Big Bash League contests during the recent summer as he battled a flurry of injury setbacks.
“Some of those injuries have been incredibly unfortunate,” Bailey said.
“Really for him it is about management of the boys and getting himself over the next six months until the start of that season, getting him into a really good shape.
“He’s in the mix for that T20 World Cup as well.
“Every time he is up and going, he’s someone we’re really excited about.”
LOSERS
Marcus Stoinis
Stoinis’ international career is at a crossroads after missing out on an Australian contract for the 2024/25 season.
The West Australian, who has recently been battling back injuries, slipped out of Australia’s first-choice XI during last year’s World Cup campaign in India before being omitted from the squad altogether for the recent white-ball series against the West Indies.
With one eye on 2027, national selectors are shifting their attention towards fellow all-rounder Aaron Hardie, but Stoinis can keep his international career alive with some solid contributions in the upcoming T20 World Cup campaign.
“Performance, both individually and as a team, will dictate how quickly that team transitions,” Bailey explained.
Ashton Agar
It’s been a topsy-turvy 18 months for Agar.
After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy debacle in India, the West Australian was ruled out of the World Cup campaign with injury, also losing his spot in the Sheffield Shield side to teammate Corey Rocchiccioli.
Meanwhile, the rapid rise of young leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha has left Agar at risk of slipping down the pecking order.
The left-armed tweaker, who has been battling ongoing calf injuries, has played just one ODI over the past 12 months, but Bailey hinted that Australia may require two strike spinners for this year’s T20 World Cup.
“The balance of the squad probably lends itself to having that second spinner there,” Bailey said.
Marcus Harris
The decision to offer Harris a national contract for the 2023/24 summer raised eyebrows at the time.
The Victorian, who has not played Test cricket since early 2022, served as Australia’s reserve batter during last year’s Ashes campaign in England, but he ultimately wasn’t required.
Following an underwhelming Sheffield Shield campaign with Victoria, where he compiled 476 runs at 29.75, Harris was omitted for the recent home summer in favour of Matthew Renshaw.
However, Bailey emphasised that Harris remained “firmly in the mix” of a Test call-up when Usman Khawaja decides to hang up the boots.
Matthew Renshaw
When Renshaw was picked for the recent Test tour of New Zealand, Bailey declared that he was considered to be Australia’s seventh best batter by the national selection panel.
However, after a horror run of form in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland, notching scores of 2, 2, 8 and 14 following the Big Bash League break, Bailey confessed that Renshaw would need to earn his spot back in the Test squad over the coming eight months.
“It’s open for anyone to jump up and grab the opportunity,” Bailey said.
“A blank page is a good way of describing it.”
Michael Neser
Neser’s Test career is hanging by a thread after missing out on a national contract for the 2024/25 season.
The Queenslander was picked for the recent Test tour of New Zealand, but hasn’t made a Test appearance since 2022 as the ‘big three’ refuse to budge from the starting XI.
“Geeze I reckon Michael Neser is a bit stiff not to get a contract,” former Australian batter Mark Waugh tweeted on Thursday.
“Bowls/bats/fields in both red and white ball to a very good level.”
With young quicks Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett seemingly on the verge of a baggy green, it’s unlikely that Neser will get a chance to add to his two Test caps anytime soon.
Australia doesn’t have any Test matches scheduled in England or New Zealand over the coming 12 months, two countries that would suit Neser’s bowling style.
“He just missed out,” Bailey explained.
“He’s had a challenging year on a number of fronts.
“He’s still held in really high regard.”
Tim David
David has been Australia’s most consistent T20 cricketer over the past 12 months, but the lack of 20-over cricket during the 2024/25 season has left him without a national contract.
However, the West Australian remains a crucial figure ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup campaign in the West Indies and United States.
“There’s not a great deal of T20 cricket next year,” Bailey said.
“Potentially that looks different in the following 12 months.
“If Tim continues to perform the way he does in that T20 space, he will continue to be an important member of that team.”
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