All-rounder Cameron Green has received his maiden full contract with Cricket Australia after playing four tests against India in the summer gone by.
Notable omissions in the contract list were Joe Burns, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis.
The national contracts for the 2021-2022 season was announced on Friday (April 23) and it also didn’t feature young opener Will Pucovksi.
Steve Smith, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne are the only Test regular specialist batters on the list.
“Cameron is a player we believe will play an important role for Australian cricket after his impressive breakout summer,” national selectors chairman Trevor Hohns said. “His 84 in the second-innings against India at the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground) demonstrated excellent technique and resolve and we are confident his bowling will be impactful at international level."
Hohns said Australian men’s teams were in a good position for success across all three formats.
“We applaud the players for the professionalism and commitment they displayed in incredibly challenging circumstances last year, which involved hard quarantines and many months in biosecure hubs,” Hohns said. “While the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was deservedly won by India, our players can nonetheless be proud of their efforts across all formats.
Fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc also secured contracts. Test skipper Tim Paine was one of two wicketkeepers on the list, with the other being short-form incumbent Alex Carey.
“There is a considerable amount of international cricket to be played across all formats in the next 12 months and the door to national selection is never closed,” Hohns said.
Cricket Australia contracted players for 2021-22:
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
(Inputs from AP)