Marsh One-Day Cup preview: Queensland

Queensland are looking to put some recent disappointment in one-day cricket behind them when this season’s rebranded, revamped tournament - the Marsh One-Day Cup – begins this week.

Having been played as a single block of matches at the beginning of the season for the past six years, this summer’s tournament will span more than two months from September 21 to November 26 and be split by breaks for the Marsh Sheffield Shield, while teams could also lose players during the tournament due to Australia’s T20 series against Sri Lanka as well as their T20 and Test campaigns against Pakistan.

Since winning consecutive titles in 2012-13 and 13-14, the Bulls have finished third, sixth, second, fifth and sixth in recent seasons and they will be looking for a better performance this summer.

Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser have been named in the Bulls squad for their opening two matches, but fellow Ashes squad member Usman Khawaja has been rested for the start of the tournament. Khawaja is expected to feature later in the campaign but last year's top run-scorer, Chris Lynn, won’t play this year.

Matt Renshaw, Joe Burns, Sam Heazlett, Max Bryant and Nathan McSweeney (twice) all hit centuries in pre-season matches, including a game against an understrength South Australia when the Bulls tallied a monster score of 7-454.

Cricket.com.au spoke to Queensland coach Wade Seccombe to preview the tournament.

Squad

The Bulls have named the following squad for their opening two matches: Jimmy Peirson (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Max Bryant, Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Matt Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Jack Wildermuth.

CA contracts: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne. Queensland contracts: Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Matt Kuhnemann, Alister McDermott, Michael Neser, James Peirson, Lachlan Pfeffer, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth. Rookies: Blake Edwards, Corey Hunter, Nathan McSweeney, Bryce Street, Connor Sully, Matthew Willans.

Possible Best XI: Joe Burns, Max Bryant, Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), Jack Wildermuth, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Billy Stanlake

2018 result: Semi-finals

Fixtures

Sep 22: v NSW at AB Field Sep 24: v SA at AB Field

Sep 29: v Vic at CitiPower Centre

Oct 1: v Vic at CitiPower Centre

Oct 23: v SA at the Gabba

Oct 31: v WA at Metricon Stadium

Nov 18: v Tas at Blundstone Arena

The inside word with Wade Seccombe

The pre-season

(Posting 7-454 in a practice match against South Australia) was just one of those days. South Australia weren't at their strongest so the thing we're taking out of it is we played the way we wanted to play, and that's what I was happy with. We're shaping quite well.

Injuries

We're looking good. (There are) no long-term injuries at this point, touch wood, and we'll manage the Ashes squad members once they return, in consultation with Cricket Australia.

Young gun

We have a lot of faith in our younger group. Last year we exposed Matthew Kuhnemann and Xavier Bartlett to some 50-over cricket, and they performed straight away. They weren't overawed by the occasion; they held their nerves and just did their jobs. We've got Max Bryant as well, who is growing as a man, and his game is growing and maturing. Nathan McSweeney, we rate very highly – he's starting to play a really positive style of cricket, and backing his skill-set against the bowlers, which is a big step forward for him. He's a right-hander who's played most of his junior cricket in the top order, and we're just trying to bring out this beautiful stroke-play that he's got in him, because when he backs himself, he's a beautiful player to watch. He played two Shield games last year, and he's a very handy off-spin bowler and he's good in the field.

Player to watch

Matthew Renshaw is in a great spot. We've seen the quality and the class of him at Test level and in four-day cricket, and I think if you can perform in that arena, you can adapt your game to all formats. That's what he's doing really well now. I definitely feel like he has a role to play in all three formats, and I think he can do it at a very high level. We've got the luxury of having a lot of depth at the top of the order so we're going to have to juggle that and see who fits in where, but we'd be mad not to use Matthew Renshaw somewhere towards the top of the order. He's matured as a young man – he's still only 23 but we're seeing a real constant level of preparation from Matt, and a constant approach to his game, and that's all been reinforced by the positive way he's playing. I think he's just grown as a player, but at no point in time did I think he didn't have the skills to perform well in limited-overs cricket. He's got some wonderful gears he can work through.

What is your team's biggest strength?

We're going to be a far more competitive and tougher side this year than what we've been any other year. The basis for that is each guy knowing the role they're playing, and sticking to it.

Who is the biggest threat?

I think if we play what we're capable of playing, it doesn't really matter. It's also the beauty of the tournament – it can really depend on who turns up at the time.

Anything else?

It's been great to see some natural leaders emerge in our group, from our skipper Jimmy Peirson through to guys like Mark Steketee and Mitch Swepson. Jack Wildermuth is one who just keeps impressing me with his combative style, and I mean that in the best possible way; he's a gamer, he wants to compete. When you've got a quality allrounder like Jack Wildermuth it just creates balance in your side. I'm biased, but I think he's the best allrounder in Australia. He's been strong of mind and he wants to take the game on. He hasn't missed a trick with the ball this off-season, so he's going to play a very handy role with us, both attacking and in a holding role. There's nothing to say we can't give him the new ball. He also brings a smart batting game to the end of an innings, and he's got the ability to clear pickets.