Gotch forced to retire, Murphy earns first Victoria contract after Australia A call-up

Victoria wicketkeeper-batter Seb Gotch has been forced to retire due to a chronic finger injury while offspinner Todd Murphy has earned his first Victoria contract after being named in the Australia A squad to tour Sri Lanka.

Gotch's retirement has been a long-time coming. The 28-year-old has not played since the final Sheffield Shield game of the 2020-21 season and was unavailable for Victoria and Melbourne Stars all of last summer due to his finger issue. He finishes with 29 first-class matches for Victoria and played in two Sheffield Shield titles. He made 1187 runs at 33.91 with two centuries and completed 108 dismissals.

Meanwhile, Murphy has been rewarded with a full contract for Victoria after making his Shield debut this season. He starred in his second game with match figures of 7 for 146 and 24 not out in a fourth-innings chase against Tasmania and will be heading to Sri Lanka with the Australia A squad in June.

Victoria have also upgraded young quick Cameron McClure to their senior list after he made his List A and Sheffield Shield debuts in March.

Australian Under-19 opener Campbell Kellaway and promising Casey South-Melbourne batter Ashley Chandrasinghe have both been handed rookie contracts.

Opener James Seymour has lost his state contract despite making his maiden Sheffield Shield century against New South Wales at the MCG earlier in the summer. Xavier Crone and Tom Jackson have also been delisted.

Victoria men's contract list:Peter Handscomb, Scott Boland (CA), Travis Dean, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch (CA), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Nic Maddinson, Cameron McClure, Glenn Maxwell (CA), Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy, Tom O'Connell, Wil Parker, James Pattinson, Mitchell Perry, Will Pucovski, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Ashley Chandrasinghe (Rookie), Brody Couch (Rookie), Sam Elliott (Rookie), Campbell Kellaway (Rookie), Fergus O'Neill (Rookie) In: Ashley Chandrasinghe, Campbell Kellaway | Out: Xavier Crone, Seb Gotch (retired), James Seymour, Tom Jackson