Bowling duo Murphy, Morris earn first Australia national contract

MELBOURNE: Spinner Todd Murphy earned his first national contracts, as Cricket Australia announced the extended 24-player national men’s contract list on Thursday.

Murphy has earned his first national contract after impressing on the Border-Gavaskar India tour, where he claimed a five-wicket haul on Test debut.

He was joined by the fast bowler Lance Morris as first-time contracted players to the national side, with Sean Abbott, Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson also been promoted and offered a contract for the next year.

Dropping out of the list is recently retired former white-ball captain Aaron Finch and spinner Mitchell Swepson, while Matthew Wade, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Matthew Kuhnemann have also been overlooked for a contract.

With the World Test Championship final, Ashes series and ODI World Cup in India all in the year ahead, selectors have taken up the four additional contract spots available under the new Memorandum of Understanding announced earlier this week.

Men’s contracts have risen 7.5 percent this year under the new MOU, to an average retainer of $951,000. The top contract is likely to earn more than $3m over the 12 months while the minimum retainer is worth $367,000 before any tour payments and match fees.

“Two huge challenges in the Test arena in The World Test Championship and the Ashes are on our doorstep followed soon after by the ICC One-Day World Cup,” National Selection Panel (NSP) chair George Bailey said.

“We have chosen a group of players we expect will form the majority of those two campaigns and we know that we will need a squad mentality to achieve success.” IANS

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