Alex Malcolm

2 weeks ago | espn.co.uk | Alex Malcolm |Andrew McGlashan |Firdose Moonda |Vishal Dikshit

Big picture: Is South Africa's XI more settled than Australia's? This will be the first World Test Championship final at Lord's, the home of cricket. But it won't be the first time Australia and South Africa meet Australia in a Test match at Lord's. In 1912, the two sides met in the fifth match of a Triangular Test tournament between the only three Test nations in the world at the time, that ran from late May until late August, with England triumphing.

2 months ago | espn.co.uk | Andrew McGlashan |Alex Malcolm

The start of 2025 is a period in Matt Kuhnemann's career that he will never forget. From fears a broken thumb would scupper his chances of a Test recall, he then bowled Australia to victory in Sri Lanka only to be faced with his action being reported. But he came through the ICC process with flying colours, finished the season with a five-wicket haul and has now earned a maiden central contract which cements him as Australia's No. 2 red-ball spinner behind Nathan Lyon.

2 months ago | espn.in | Andrew McGlashan |Alex Malcolm

The start of 2025 is a period in Matt Kuhnemann's career that he will never forget. From fears a broken thumb would scupper his chances of a Test recall, he then bowled Australia to victory in Sri Lanka only to be faced with his action being reported. But he came through the ICC process with flying colours, finished the season with a five-wicket haul and has now earned a maiden central contract which cements him as Australia's No. 2 red-ball spinner behind Nathan Lyon.

2 months ago | espn.co.uk | Andrew McGlashan |Alex Malcolm

Sam Konstas may have to wait beyond June's World Test Championship final to earn back his spot in the Australia side with selectors prepared to pick a team very specific to winning the one-off match against South Africa in relatively early-season English conditions. Konstas was handed a first central contract on Tuesday after making his debut against India late last year where he shot to prominence with his 60 off 65 balls at the MCG.

2 months ago | espn.co.uk | Alex Malcolm |Andrew McGlashan

Sam Konstas and Matt Kuhnemann's rollercoaster summers have been capped by being added to Cricket Australia's central contract list for 2025-26 in a clear sign both are set for more Test cricket this year, while Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk have been overlooked in a T20 World Cup year. Konstas, Kuhnemann and Tasmanian allrounder Beau Webster are the three new additions to the 23-man list with Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie and Todd Murphy all dropping off the initial list from 2024-25.