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Renshaw's Euro Trip no summer holiday

Aussie opener had been planning a holiday in the European countryside, instead he's racking up runs in county cricket

Swimmers? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Beach towel? Check. Thigh pad? Check. Matthew Renshaw's packing list for his European vacation was a little unusual, to say the least.

But ever since some Australian cricketers concocted a plan to use sandpaper to try and rough up the ball in the Cape Town Test match, nothing has really been 'usual', not least for the Queensland batsman.

With openers Cameron Bancroft and David Warner – along with captain Steve Smith – banned by Cricket Australia for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal, Renshaw has found himself among the chief beneficiaries.

The Queenslander was rushed from the state's JLT Sheffield Shield final victory party to Johannesburg to open for Australia alongside state teammate Joe Burns, and has since replaced Bancroft as Somerset's international signing for the English season.

The runs have flowed for Renshaw in 2018, starting with a stunning revival in the back-half of the Shield season. And while they eluded him in an emotion-charged whirlwind Test return, he capped his maiden game for Somerset with an unbeaten ton, coming in the unfamiliar position of No.3.

Renshaw clubs 81 en route to South Africa

The Middleborough-born Australian had jetted off to the northern hemisphere for a long-planned European summer vacation with partner Josie Harvey, but with an eye on a county prize, stuffed his thigh pad and favourite bat into his luggage.

"It's all happened pretty quickly. It was unfortunate circumstances in how I got back (into the Test team) but it has been nice to be back in the runs and in a few teams I wasn't expecting to be in," Renshaw reflected on RSN927 radio today.

"It would have been nice to force myself back into the (Australia) team in different circumstances but you've just got to take everything as it comes.

"(Australia selectors) picked me because of my runs in the second-half of the year and that was something I tried to do. I would have liked to make some runs in South Africa, but it just wasn't my game.

Image Id: A48DC5980A3946BE89FE2FAA7E383B11 Image Caption: Renshaw falls to Morne Morkel in Jo'burg // Getty

Renshaw joked he worried about forgetting to pack his Baggy Green cap in his kit bag, but for a man nicknamed 'Turtle' for going into his shell around Smith and Warner in his early Test career, joining a dressing room without those players added to the strange atmosphere.

"It was a lot different not having Steve Smith and David Warner there. I had never been in an Australian scenario without them there," Renshaw said.

"It was a very different experience, but something that will hopefully help me throughout my career. Experiencing that was just a learning curve."

After that Test match Renshaw headed to Europe where his holiday quickly turned into a county contract.

Image Id: F282104E56E74FF6B1C6D7F519E0A7DE Image Caption: Renshaw and partner Josie Harvey at Stonehenge // Instagram

"We flew to UK, got here on Masters Sunday, and the next morning I got phone call from my manager saying Somerset wanted to talk. By that afternoon I had signed with them," Renshaw said.

"I had some form of idea that Somerset were interested but they hadn't come to a decision. So I made sure I packed the important things: I packed my thigh pad and my best bat.

"But the bat broke in my first net session over here, so I need to try and get that fixed up."

Not that the loss of his favourite stick affected Renshaw much, as he struck an unbeaten 101 for Somerset in his maiden innings for the county from first drop.

Image Id: 88A0F45D151F427BBC9D5C702151C115 Image Caption: Renshaw salutes ton with new Gray-Nicolls Kronus // Getty

"They have Marcus Trescothick and Eddie Byrom, who started his first-class career last year, and they wanted to keep him going so asked me to bat at No.3. I was perfectly fine with that, it's another opportunity and thing to test me in my career," Renshaw said.

"It's quite nice not having to rush off the field and get padded up straight away, I get to chill out, listen to some music and get relaxed."

Not that Renshaw had much time to relax – Somerset's opening combination lasted just 3.5 overs and five balls in two innings so far.

"It might be a bit more testing if they're batting for 50 overs and are none for 200," Renshaw said. "Then I'm probably going to be frustrating all the other boys trying to stay switched on."