Early look for Agar ahead of SCG Test

Ashton Agar's first KFC BBL game of the season will give him an early clue as to whether or not he's a chance of playing Test cricket this summer.

Agar's Perth Scorchers will open their title defence against Sydney Sixers as part of the BBL/WBBL double header on Saturday at the SCG, the same venue that will host the fifth Magellan Ashes Test 10 days later.

This weekend will be the first time the historic ground has hosted top-level cricket since last summer, and the first time since its outfield was re-laid following the end of the Australian Football League season in September.

Australia have played two spinners in the past two Tests at the venue, which has recently reclaimed its former reputation as the most spin-friendly surface in the country.

As Australia's incumbent auxiliary spinner behind Nathan Lyon, Agar is the front-runner to be the second tweaker should the Aussies go that way again for the final Test against England.

And the nature of the SCG surface, which Agar will get first use of with the Scorchers this weekend, will dictate whether or not he's in line to play his first Test on home soil.

"Obviously I'd love to do that," he told cricket.com.au recently. "Any time you get to represent your country is awesome.

"To play in a home Ashes Test would be incredible and I feel like I'd definitely be ready for it.

"But it's not really something I look forward to. To be honest, I hardly look forward to the next day, which is really working for me at the moment.

"I understand I can't control those things. I just train, play my best in whatever game I'm playing and the rest takes care of itself."

Agar was part of an extended Test squad for the Sydney Test last year, but it was NSW tweaker Steve O'Keefe who partnered Lyon against Pakistan, as he had done against West Indies 12 months earlier.

But Agar's return to the Test side in Bangladesh earlier this year, where he took seven wickets in two Tests, ahead of O'Keefe, Victorian Jon Holland and Queensland leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson indicates he's the next spinner in line.

The 24-year-old will be forced to use Twenty20 cricket in the coming weeks to convince selectors he's ready for Test cricket again after a finger injury restricted him to just one JLT Sheffield Shield game before the mid-season break.

Having broken a finger on his right hand during Australia's recent ODI tour of India, he missed Western Australia's JLT One-Day Cup win as well as their first four Shield games before sending down 50 overs and taking four wickets in his return to first-class action against Victoria earlier this month.

Given the injury was on his non-bowling hand, Agar has been able to get through a heavy bowling workload at training during his time on the sidelines.

And now that the damaged finger "feels completely normal" again, he's confident he can find his best form early in his return to playing.

"To be back out there playing, especially at the MCG, and to bowl 50 overs in the first innings was great," he said of his Shield return.

"I felt like I was bowling as well as I've bowled so I'm really happy with where my cricket's at.

"You always pull up a little bit sore after that, but I've been bowling so much in the nets because it's what I've been able to do. My left hand has been fine so I've been bowling heaps and I've probably built myself up to that point."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21