Connolly scored 216 runs at an average of 31 for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield last season, but has a solid first class record. Over 13 matches, the middle-order batter averages 42.<\/p>\n
Australian selectors have stuck with struggling batter Marnus Labuschagne for next month\u2019s Test tour of South Africa, as chair George Bailey admitted he is mulling a return up the order for Steve Smith.<\/p>\n
Sixteen players were named in the touring party on Monday, including all those involved in the most recent defeat of Bangladesh in Mackay. Fast bowler Michael Neser, spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and batter Cooper Connolly will join the group for the series starting in Durban on 9 October.<\/p>\n
Bailey backed Labuschagne to deliver and said selectors had confidence in him as the incumbent at No 3. \u201c[We\u2019re] not shying away from the fact that we\u2019d like some more runs from Marn [Labuschagne], that\u2019s clear, but we\u2019re also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly, there\u2019s potentially a simplification or an ability to focus purely on red ball cricket for him, in the fact that he won\u2019t be in the one-day series leading up to it, so that may be a benefit. I\u2019m not sure around that, but you know Marn, he\u2019ll prepare incredibly well and specifically for this tour.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labuschagne was ICC\u2019s top-ranked Test batter in 2023, but has struggled for runs in the years since with his last century coming in the 2023 Ashes. He averaged 25 in last summer\u2019s Ashes, and then had scores of 1, 31 and 4 in the recent Tests against Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
The 32-year-old will be competing for selection with Josh Inglis and Connolly, the 23-year-old who has been tipped for a bright future.<\/p>\n
A single warm-up match in Potchefstroom will serve as a key opportunity for Labuschagne to find form, but it will also serve as a chance for others to press their claims.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019ll be a handful of guys that cross over from the one-day series, there\u2019s seven or eight, I think, that are coming over specifically for the Test tour,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cSo I think partly it\u2019ll be about just making sure that everyone\u2019s getting the prep they need to be ready for the first Test.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connolly has played one Test for Australia last year in Sri Lanka, as well as matches in T20 and ODI formats. He will be in South Africa for the ODI series prior to the Tests in a squad named last week notable for its omission of Labuschagne<\/a>.<\/p>\n Connolly scored 216 runs at an average of 31 for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield last season, but has a solid first class record. Over 13 matches, the middle-order batter averages 42.<\/p>\n
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