Renshaw not thinking about India, hoping to make good impression against SA
Happy to be back in the Australian scheme of things after nearly five years, Test cricketer Matt Renshaw says he will try to make a "good impression" if he is selected for the third Test against South Africa at Sydney beginning on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old left-hand bat has not donned the Baggy Green since the sandpaper episode in 2018. He has so far played 11 Tests with a highest score of 184.
But injuries to key players -- all-rounder Cameron Green and pace bowler Mitchell Starc -- have seen him being drafted into the squad for the final Test against the Proteas.
Renshaw has come back into reckoning on the back of strong performances for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield and a century for the Prime Minister's XI against the West Indies in November.
"I think just the Sydney Test for me, it's a nice inclusion being included in the last Test of the summer before a couple of away tours," Renshaw was quoted as saying by SEN on Monday.
Renshaw indicated he was not looking as far as the four-Test series against India beginning early February, saying he would like to just concentrate on the immediate task.
"As I know in cricket, I've learnt a lot that you can never count your chickens. So just keep trying to do what I can when I get into the group... and make a good impression and help as much as I can if I'm not playing," said Renshaw.
Pointing out that he had a good chance of clicking in Sydney, the batter said that a few technical changes he had made recently had given him confidence.
"Yeah, definitely. I had a couple of technical changes post that break (of five years), just trying to work on a few of things that I felt were struggling during the season, but I found it tough to change my technique during the season," he said.
"So I waited until the off-season, changed a couple of things and just tried to embed that down."
Renshaw added the biggest gain when he was not in Australia reckoning was strengthening his resolve.
"I think the big one for me is my mindset, the way I go about my batting, the way I go about my cricket is probably the biggest change for me over the last couple of years. I think I've come a long way as a person and a cricketer," he said.
Making his Test debut in 2016, the batter averages 33.47 with the bat, with his highest individual score of 184 coming against Pakistan at Sydney in 2017.
"As most 20-year-olds in normal work and life are, it's a tough old thing (to be in that national team environment). But to be thrust in front of the world and the media and all that stuff that comes along with playing for Australia, that's the part I probably didn't really acknowledge at the time (in 2016-17)."
Lance Morris moving closer to Test berth, says Hazlewood
Australian pace-bowling stalwart Josh Hazlewood is confident young quick Lance Morris is moving closer to a Test debut, given the extra pace and accuracy he can bring to the side.
Morris is in the Australian squad for the third Test against South Africa and his chances for selection have been brightened by the absence of all-rounder Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc, both of whom suffered serious finger injuries during the Boxing Day Test.
While the SCG wicket traditionally favours spin, the forecast of rain could tilt the selection in favour of a tearaway bowler, and Hazlewood suggested Morris is a suitable candidate for the job.
Hazlewood, returning to the side after missing three successive Tests due to a side strain, said he is impressed with Morris' pace.
"Lance obviously brings that extra pace that we probably lack with (Mitchell) Starcy (injured)," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by abc.net.au on Monday.
"Usually when you get that in a youngster (bowler), they spray them around a bit, but his accuracy is very good for that sort of pace. There's quite a number of guys on my 'not-facing list' (in the nets) and he's at the top of the tree," added Hazlewood.
The 24-year-old Morris is one of the fastest bowlers in the country, being nicknamed 'Wild Thing' but for all his pace, he has never been included in a Test side.
Morris could be a like-for-like replacement for Starc at Sydney, though the competition for the limited slots doesn't guarantee him a spot.
"Everyone's battling everyone at the moment. It's good to have options. We're all a little bit different," Hazlewood said.
On whether he was confident of being slotted in the playing XI for the Sydney Test, the 31-year-old Hazlewood indicated a return from injury always make things a bit uncertain.
"I guess that's what happens when you miss out with injury, you give other people an opportunity and they take it," he said. "I think that's how I got my first go with Ryan Harris sitting out and Peter Siddle injured."
"You get your opportunity then you put pressure on the older guys. I feel like that just comes and goes as your career goes along. I'd be definitely disappointed if I missed out," he said.
