Former Test spinner not offered state contract

Former Test spinner Jon Holland has been cut by Victoria with the state putting their faith in emerging off-spinner Todd Murphy.

Holland, who played his four Tests during tours of Sri Lanka in 2016 and the UAE in 2018, has not been offered a contract by Victoria for 2023-24, effectively ending the 35-year-old's professional career.

The state is expected to announce their squad for next season sometime this week, which will confirm the return of 38-year-old state great Peter Siddle after three seasons with Tasmania.

Holland was part of the Australian squad as recently as last year in Sri Lanka and is understood to have been contacted by national selection chair George Bailey about the possibility of touring India with the Test team earlier this year before ruling himself out due to an ongoing finger issue.

The veteran left-armer had contemplated retirement during the first half of last season as he struggled with the finger injury that wouldn't respond to treatment, but an injection halfway through the summer brought about a change of fortunes and he finished 2022-23 strongly, playing an important role in Victoria's run to the Marsh Sheffield Shield final.

He was close to playing in the season decider at the WACA that Victoria lost to Western Australia after taking 3-15 at the same venue a week earlier, before selectors opted for newly capped Test spinner Murphy following his outstanding debut series in India.

Holland, who played in three Sheffield Shield titles for Victoria (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2018-19), was committed to playing on next season and is understood to be extremely disappointed not to receive a contract.

Across a 16-year career, the left-arm orthodox spinner took 244 wickets at 32.11 for his state – the ninth-most prolific Victorian bowler of all time – despite also regularly competing with Fawad Ahmed for a spot in the XI.

His best season was the 2016-17 Shield-winning campaign where he took 50 wickets at 20.78, including a career-best 7-82 against South Australia in the final at Alice Springs.

Holland has also played a key role in the development of Murphy, who was elevated to a Cricket Australia contract last month after bursting onto the international stage with seven wickets on debut against India in February.

The pair have bowled in tandem in half of the off-spinner's six first-class matches for Victoria, with last season's Shield decider the first time state selectors had picked Murphy ahead of Holland, who missed the other two matches due to injury.

"(Having) Jon Holland in our squad is really good for Todd because he's able to talk to Jon and learn things and they have great conversations in terms of what they're trying to do," Victoria captain Peter Handscomb said last season.

"Todd's learnt a lot and he's grown a lot over the last couple of years."

Siddle – the state's 13th-highest Shield wicket-taker of all time with 234 – had already confirmed his intention to return home in March, with Victoria set to formally unveil him as part of their squad for next season.

Siddle, who is out of contract with the Adelaide Strikers, is also being linked to the two Melbourne Big Bash clubs for BBL|13 having previously played for the Renegades from 2014-15.

Despite announcing his international retirement in late 2019, the right-armer continues to defy his age and is currently representing Somerset in division one of the County Championship where he has collected 13 wickets in four matches so far this season.

He's expected to play a key role in the development of Victoria's next generation of quicks with Fergus O'Neill, Cameron McClure and Sam Elliott all having impressed last season.

Test quick Scott Boland, Victoria's player of the season Will Sutherland, and Australia A representative Mitch Perry round out a strong pace battery for the Vics, with several strong performers in Victorian Premier Cricket also set to earn deals for 2023-24.

Victoria has already lost young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who knocked back a rookie contract offer to take up a two-year deal with South Australia last week.

Leg-spinner Tom O'Connell has also not been offered new deal for next season, while Wil Parker, whose only appearances for Victoria in 2022-23 were four second XI matches, as well as two matches for the Hobart Hurricanes, has a year to run on his contract.