Wade continues endless summer of runs

Less than a week ago, Matthew Wade said his international career in white-ball cricket was "fading away".

But after Thursday's demolition job of Northamptonshire, his limited-overs prospects look as bright as ever.

Wade hammered 117 from 67 balls in Australia A's comprehensive six-wicket win at The County Ground to show national selectors that his golden form from last summer has travelled with him to the UK.

With Australia’s World Cup campaign in full swing, the 31-year-old has said he feels his best shot for a national recall is as a batsman in the Test side, or as Tim Paine's understudy in the upcoming Ashes, with 1021 Sheffield Shield runs last summer under his belt as ammunition. 

But after he brought up his eighth List A century from 52 balls in less than hour, in an innings that finished with 18 fours and three sixes, perhaps his days in the green and gold might not be quite done yet.

However, with Alex Carey entrenched as the country’s No.1 wicketkeeper-batsman in white-ball cricket, and Australia’s senior batsmen producing another World Cup batting blitz of their own on Thursday, Wade still refuses to believe a return to Australia's limited-overs sides is on the cards.

Image Id: 1819E5FD58E6435AB2DCD03A7AD5CB98 Image Caption: Wade celebrated his eighth List A century // Kyle Andrews

With national selection out of his mind, he’s credited his explosive white-ball form to a fearless approach and his time playing with the Hobart Hurricanes over the past two seasons.

"When I feel like I'm trying to get myself in for the first 20 or 30 runs, it never really works out," Wade told cricket.com.au after play.

"I feel like I need to walk out there and be positive in the mind and look to score.

"In England, you get so much value for shots. You don't have to hit the ball in the air all the time, you can just beat fielders left or right by not very much and you get great value."

Wade's blitz left teammate Josh Hazlewood in awe.

"It was unbelievable," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au. "I think the other batters going in after that were a bit nervous following that act.

"Some of the striking was unbelievable.

"You saw it in the Big Bash and he scored a lot of runs in Shield cricket last year, but to see it firsthand live … I hope it continues."

Wade's prolific Shield form and with the Hurricanes (he was the competition’s second highest run-scorer) last summer earned him selection on the A tour and he’s now a chance of making Australia's Ashes squad.

But he’s not allowing himself to think about the future and what could come if the runs continue to flow.

"My mindset coming over here (having) worked pretty closely with (Tasmania assistant coach) Jeff Vaughan is just staying true to the way I want to play and not letting things that may come in the future or the game after this get in my head," he said.

"I just want to come out here and play the way I want to play and I know if I do that then my game is good enough to succeed in any format or competition that I play in.

"Really knowing what works for me and sticking to that, not worrying about anything outside of that."

Australia A tour of the UK

Get live scores and all the latest news from Australia A's tour of the UK on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A beat Northamptonshire by six wickets

June 23: Australia A v Derbyshire, County Ground, Derby

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, Kidderminster Cricket Club

June 30: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

July 2: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A v Sussex, Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel

July 13-16: Australia A v England Lions, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Ageas Bowl, Hampshire