Aussies in county cricket catch-up: Ashes back-ups make their mark

Marcus Harris has been one of the biggest winners in recent weeks. He was a somewhat surprising inclusion on the contracts list which paved the way for his place in the Ashes squad and would appear the frontrunner should a vacancy emerge at the top of the order. He began his latest county stint with Gloucestershire by scoring 59 and 148 against Glamorgan then looked set for another substantial score against Sussex before being run out, a dismissal which sparked a collapse. Meanwhile, Cameron Bancroft, who missed the Ashes squad despite being far-and-away the leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer, has not quite been able to make an impact with Somerset - a top score of 44 in six innings so far, including having his off stump extracted by Stuart Broad.

When the Ashes squad was announced, chair of selectors George Bailey name-checked Michael Neser, the unluckiest omission, and Sean Abbott as two players who would have available from county cricket should reinforcements be needed. Neither of them needs to prove anything about their credentials, but early performances reinforced their all-round value. Abbott, who was rested against Warwickshire in an agreement with CA, started the season with a five-wicket haul against Lancashire and also contributed scores of 42 and 52 not out. Wickets have yet to come in a bundle for Neser - although he did produce a wicked inswinger to castle Wiaan Mulder - but he made a crucial 90 against Leicestershire to ensure that Glamorgan could save the game.

That came back a mile!

Big swing from Michael Neser before the rain in Leicester yesterday #LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/ncGtJZSans

— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 28, 2023

Alongside Neser, Peter Handscomb was another who could count himself unfortunate around Ashes selection with Matt Renshaw's versatility taking the final batting spot. Handscomb was a conditions-specific selection in India and justified his recall with hard-earned runs when the surfaces were at their most challenging. "I do like playing against spin but I've also played in Australia for most of my career, which is mainly against quicks, so I like to think I can still play the fast ball," Handscomb told the Vic State Cricket Podcast last October .For now, he can't do anything more than put runs on the board and be ready in case injury strikes the Test squad. It's just what he has done, beginning his Leicestershire stint with 112 and 68 not out against Yorkshire then adding 95 against Glamorgan.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was another who enjoyed success in India after his rapid elevation to the Test side. He then secured a county deal with Durham when Todd Murphy was unable to join for the first part of the season and helped complete an impressive victory against Worcestershire with 5 for 53 in the second innings having also taken six wickets against Sussex. However, his summer has been ended by a back injury which has seen him return home for rehabilitation with Queensland.

Labuschagne traps Jones lbw for 69 and he is fired up! @DurhamCricket 193/3 in the 52nd over

https://t.co/82tBrhz1KU#GoGlam | #GLAMvDUR pic.twitter.com/nlALNcaPsj

— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) April 20, 2023

Talking of spin, Marnus Labuschagne has been expanding his box of tricks. His legspin has perhaps not developed as may have been hoped and is not seen as often for Australia as it once was. But now in his opening match of the season for Glamorgan, Labuschagne unfurled his offspin and enjoyed a career-best 4 for 81. "Marnus does what Marnus wants," Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard said. "With his legspin, [Mitch] Swepson is there at Queensland. He feels that if he can develop his offspin more, and he's been bowling all the time in the nets with it, that he could also be another weapon for them. "That's why he's done it. He does spin it, but he was just a little bit nervous today, bowling it for the first time in a professional game."

At the age of 29, Nathan McAndrew is not a young cricketer but also has plenty of years ahead of him and he continues to string together impressive performances. He has two five-wicket hauls in the first three matches for Sussex having closed out the home domestic season with a career-best 6 for 97 against New South Wales. However, despite his success, he faces being forced out of the side due to Steven Smith's arrival this week.