Peake picked for Australia A after one first-class game

Eighteen-year-old Victoria batter Oliver Peake has been named in the Australia A squad to face Sri Lanka A in a multiformat series in Darwin next month having just played one first-class game.

Peake has been selected after making his first-class debut in March and headlines a mixed squad that features some veteran Sheffield Shield performers in Jake Weatherald and Kurtis Patterson, as well as injury-prone 25-year-old Western Australia quick Bryce Jackson who is yet to play first-class cricket and has only played five List A games.

Peake's selection to face Sri Lanka A in three 50-over matches and two four-day matches in Darwin in July had long been expected and it confirms how highly Australia's selectors regard the left-hander after he was taken on the Test tour of Sri Lanka as a development player.

Peake made 52 and 21 on first-class debut on a tricky pitch at the WACA ground. Another 22-year-old left-hander from Victoria, Campbell Kellaway starred in that game scoring an unbeaten 165 in the second innings to set up a win for Victoria. He has also been rewarded for an excellent second half of the Shield season with selection in the Australia A squad.

Fringe Test batters Nathan McSweeney and Matt Renshaw have also been included alongside the experienced names of Weatherald and Patterson.

Weatherald, 30, has been rewarded with Australia A selection for the first time in his nine-year first-class career following a outstanding Shield season for Tasmania. He topped the Shield run-scoring with 906 runs at 50.33 opening the batting with three stunning innings of 186, 155 and 145. Weatherald's selection is even more significant given he was born and bred in Darwin before moving away to play state cricket for South Australia and Tasmania.

Jason Sangha has also been rewarded for his Shield season with selection in the squad. A captain has yet to be named but McSweeney would appear to be the most likely candidate given he has led Australia A/Prime Minister's XI on six previous occasions and recently captained South Australia to their first Shield title in 29 years.

While the batting will feature of a lot of experienced players alongside Peake and Kellaway, the bowling group is raw and has been selected on potential more than first-class performance.

Test spinner Todd Murphy was set to be the most experienced bowler in the attack but he is understood to have landed a last-minute deal in England for a five-week county stint. Murphy was the only specialist spinner in the original squad and a replacement may be added in the coming days.

Billy Stanlake will be the most experienced bowler in the attack that will feature Jackson, Jack Nisbet, Sam Elliott, Mitchell Perry and Henry Thornton. South Australia allrounder Liam Scott has also been rewarded for his fine finish to the Shield season.

New South Wales wicketkeeper-batters Josh Philippe and Matthew Gilkes have been included with Gilkes earning his first Australia A call-up.

Chair of selectors George Bailey said that a number of senior players who are either playing county cricket in England or will be part of Australia's red and white-ball tours to the Caribbean were not considered for selection however many will come back into calculation for an Australia A tour to India in September and October.

"We've picked a balanced squad which provides a number of options, which we expect will be required over the course of the series," Bailey said. "Jake Weatherald, Jason Sangha and Kurtis Patterson have all had dominant Sheffield Shield seasons and earned the opportunity to test themselves against international opposition.

"Additionally, there is a strong presence of emerging talent in the squad who will benefit from playing alongside senior players including Nathan McSweeney and Matthew Renshaw who bring substantial experience at 'A' level.

"Given the timing of this series, the NSP (National Selection Panel) has worked closely with State and Territory associations to determine availability and identify players who would benefit from the opportunity.

"There are several players with existing opportunities overseas or tailored off-season programs who weren't considered for selection. We anticipate those players will be available for Australia A's tour of India in September as we look ahead to the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Series."

Australia A squad vs Sri Lanka A

Sam Elliott, Matt Gilkes, Bryce Jackson, Campbell Kellaway, Nathan McSweeney, Jack Nisbet, Mitch Perry, Kurtis Patterson, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Billy Stanlake, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald