A strong Australia A side have arrived in Derby for the One-Day Tour Fixture on Sunday (11am), with a host of top international stars set to feature for the visitors.
The 50-over match will see most of Derbyshire’s senior players take on the Australia side, with Head of Cricket, Dave Houghton only resting bowlers for the fixture, while the batsmen are set to be given the opportunity to test themselves against international bowlers in the white-ball game.
With so many of Australia’s brightest talents travelling to The Pattonair County Ground for Sunday’s match, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the standout cricketers in the side.
Travis Head
With eight Tests and more than 40 One-Day Internationals under his belt, Travis Head will captain the Australia A side in Derby on Sunday, with the batsman leading out a strong squad hoping to make an impression ahead of this year’s Ashes series.
Head has scored 1,273 runs throughout his ODI career, including ten half-centuries, one century and an average of 34.40 since he made his debut for Australia in 2016.
The 25-year-old’s Test career only began last year, making his debut in a drawn game against Pakistan in Dubai, scoring 72 in the second innings.
He has gone on to make eight Test appearances so far, scoring five fifties and one century in that time at an average of 51, while his 16 International T20 appearances have garnered 319 runs, at an average of 26.58 in the shortest format.
Matthew Wade
Wicketkeeper-batsman, Matthew Wade has 94 ODI appearances to date, with more than 1,700 runs scored in that time at an average of 25.75.
Wade has struck ten half-centuries in the 50-over format, while his high-score came when he hit 100 not out against Pakistan in a 92-run victory at Brisbane.
At 31, Wade is vastly experienced and has featured in 22 Tests for Australia, scoring four fifties and two centuries on his way to 886 runs, while he has also scored 239 runs across 26 IT20s, averaging 19.91.
Behind the stumps, he has taken 108 catches throughout his ODI career and claimed nine stumpings.
Peter Handscomb
Like Wade, Handscomb is equally adept behind the stumps or in front of them.
The wicketkeeper-batsman played the most recent of his 16 Test matches against India at Sydney in January, where he scored 37 in the first innings, but was not required to bat in the second as Australia eased to victory.
He has two centuries and four half-centuries in Tests, scoring 934 runs at an average of 38.91, while his ODI career has seen him score four fifties and one hundred in 21 matches, with a high-score of 117 coming against India in March of this year.
Handscomb has also taken 14 catches in his ODI career so far, but is yet to make a stumping for Australia in any format.
Josh Hazlewood
Spearheading Australia A’s bowling attack on Sunday will be Josh Hazlewood, with the 28-year-old bowler likely to open the bowling for the touring side.
A regular in the Australia Test side, Hazlewood will be hoping to make an impression ahead of The Ashes, having played in 44 Tests previously, the last of which coming against India in January.
Throughout his Test career, Hazlewood has taken 164 wickets at an average of 27.14. He has claimed six five-wicket hauls, with his best innings figures being 6-67 against India in 2017.
Hazlewood has also featured in 44 ODIs, with his 72 wickets coming at an average of 25.25. His best figures in the 50-over game are 6-52, which he took during the 2017 Champions Trophy game against New Zealand at Edgbaston, while he has also claimed three five-fers in the format.
Ashton Agar
Ashton Agar cemented his place in cricketing history when he struck 98 against England at Trent Bridge during the 2013 Ashes series, the highest score by a number 11 in Test cricket.
The 25-year-old has since played in three further Tests, nine ODIs and 15 IT20s, with the latter providing his best bowling figures for Australia: 3-27 during a 2017 game against New Zealand in Auckland.
His last appearance for Australia came during a defeat to Pakistan in a 2018 IT20, while his most recent Test appearance came against Bangladesh in 2017.
Australia in Derby! A strong Australia A side take on Derbyshire in a 50-over List A match on Sunday 23 June at The Pattonair County Ground. Tickets available to buy on the gate.
