Renshaw boosts Australia after positive county spell

Matt Renshaw's form during a successful county spell for Somerset has been one of the few positives over a difficult 6-month spell for Australian cricket.

There are very few positives attached to Australian international cricket right now and the continued unavailability of David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft has been exacerbated by a catalogue of injuries to the pace attack.

Making his way back from injury right now is Matt Renshaw and while his minor finger problem gives less cause for concern, the left-handed opener could be the main beneficiary of the ball tampering affair.

Productive Stint

Renshaw came back into the national test side at the end of the South African tour and he was also called up to Somerset’s squad to cover for Bancroft who was initially due to appear for the English county.

In the country of his birth, Renshaw thrived in English conditions, both in the first class and 50 over competitions before that broken finger curtailed his stint. In 11 innings for Somerset, the left-hander made no fewer than three hundreds and remains in the top ten division one batting averages despite his early departure.

The West Country side have never won the County Championship but ahead of the final round of games, Somerset are second in the table. They also appear in the quarter-finals of the domestic T20 Blast and are quoted as 11/2 second favourites in bet365’s cricket betting markets. He may be back with the international set up, but Matt Renshaw has left a positive legacy with his English county.

Dour

As a young 20 year old opener making his debut against South Africa in Adelaide in 2016, Matt Renshaw developed a reputation for being a dour blocker and accumulator of runs. There’s no great problem with that at a time when test cricket needs players who can occupy the crease and build innings and that approach led to a maiden test ton in his fourth game.

Over time, the average dropped and at the 2017/18 Ashes series, Renshaw had lost his place to Bancroft. Criticism, most notably from Alan Border, was still ringing in the player’s ears as he left the field for a ‘comfort break’ against India at the start of 2017.

During his spell in England, Renshaw began to score more quickly with a signature stroke that whipped the ball over mid wicket and into the stands. As a result, the player is now being referenced as a possible international in all forms of the game.

Timely

With Australia looking to defend the Ashes as they tour England in 2019, Matt Renshaw’s positive displays in English conditions will have given a definite hint to the selectors when they come to name their squad.

For now, he returns to cricket following that injury with Australia A and has a chance to impress new coach Justin Langer as the squad takes on their Indian counterparts. A batting average of 33.47 after 11 tests is a modest one in an era where 40 is the new 30 but Matt Renshaw has clearly improved this season and with valuable experience of English conditions, the left-hander looks in pole position to take over from Bancroft and nail down an opening slot for next year’s Ashes.