Test players set for two-day camp

Australia’s Test stars are set to make this season’s Matador Cup one of the most competitive in the history of the domestic limited-overs competition, following the return to their respective state squads due to the postponement of the tour of Bangladesh.

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Cricket Australia has also scheduled a two-day red-ball camp at Hurstville Oval in Sydney’s south on October 13-14, with the intention of ensuring its players have adequate preparation for the three-Test series against New Zealand, beginning November 5 in Brisbane.

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“The Tour of Bangladesh was going to be an important series for our relatively new-look Test team heading into the Australian summer, so we’re disappointed it won’t go ahead,” said Pat Howard, CA’s executive general manager of team performance.

“Given the circumstances, it’s important we give our Test players the best preparation leading into the summer so they will now be available to play in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup throughout October to get valuable match experience in Australian conditions.

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“We will also hold a red-ball camp in Sydney to provide extra preparation for Australian players. We have scheduled this camp to fall in the quietest two-day period of the Matador Cup to limit player movement during the tournament.

“While we believe the red-ball camp will provide solid preparation for the Australian players, the first Sheffield Shield round will provide a long-form match opportunity for those players. We have therefore pushed back the first Shield round to start a day later on the 28 October to give the Matador Cup finalists an extra day to prepare for their first Shield match.

“Australian players will be made available for the first Shield round dependent on injury and workloads ahead of the first Test against New Zealand.”

The addition of the national squad’s players will have a flow-on effect to five of the six states (South Australia were not represented), who are expected to re-name their squads in the coming days ahead of Monday’s first round in Sydney.

In addition, Howard said the impact the reshuffle is set to have on the new Cricket Australia XI  - a team assembled from all the state’s best young players who didn’t make their respective Matador Cup squads – will also be carefully managed.

Key dates

October 5 – start of the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup. Full fixture here

October 13-14 – red-ball camp with Australian Test players at Hurstville Oval, Sydney

October 25 – Matador BBQs One-Day Cup final

October 28 – Round 1 of the Sheffield Shield, which will be a day-night round