After years at the top of the JLT Sheffield Shield’s pecking order, Orange District Cricket Association’s 2008-09 player-of-the-year Chris Tremain is firmly in the frame to make his Test debut this summer after being named in Australia’s squad for the first Test against India.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tremain is one of two uncapped players in Australia’s 14-man squad along with fellow Victorian Marcus Harris, a bat coach Justin Langer once described as being “mediocre with flashes of brilliance”, and his selection comes days after a match-defining five-wicket haul against Tasmania.
That bagful was his third of this summer’s Shield and pushed the 27-year-old’s tally up to 24 scalps so far, they’ve come at 20.45 runs apiece, with only Victorian teammate Scott Boland (26 at 16.69) taking more so far.
While Harris is all but assured to make his debut at Adelaide Oval Tremain is one of five quicks included in the squad, along with Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Pete Siddle.
With the big three of Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc considered locks unless they suffer injury, Siddle and Tremain are firmly viewed as back-ups, however with one Shield game remaining before the start of the series there’s still a chance for the former Kinross tearaway to put his case forward.
“With another round of Sheffield Shield matches to play, players have the chance to strengthen their cases for selection before we finalise the 12 in the lead-up to the first Test,” national selector Trevor Hohns said, before lauding Tremain.
“Chris Tremain has been performing consistently with the ball for Victoria.
"His form in the Sheffield Shield has seen him become the second highest wicket taker in the competition this season. He has also been a consistent wicket taker over the past two seasons, and thoroughly deserves his place in the squad.
"We believe all players chosen deserve their selection in the squad, and we're confident given the opportunity all will apply themselves well against India.
"The squad features a talented group of batsmen and bowlers who have displayed good form in the Sheffield Shield competition to date.”
That “form” Hohns refers to actually extends much further back than just 2018-19 for Tremain.
In the three Shield summers prior to this one, no bowler took more wickets than Tremain, who snared 129 at 20.39.
Last summer he took 51 of those at 21.07 and was crowned the competition’s player-of-the-year as a result and then he was Australia A’s best-performed quick in India as well.
He was still left out of the Aussies’ squad for a two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE, but has clearly forced his way in through strength of performance.
Queensland batsman Marnus Labuschagne and Victorian spinner Jon Holland are the two players from Australia's last Test against Pakistan not to be named, along with squad members Matt Renshaw, Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.
Tremain’s selection also boosts the Australian squad’s Western Zone representatives to two, along with Young-born finger-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The first Test against India starts on December 6, with Tremain and his Victorians to take on Queensland at the Gabba prior to that, from November 27 onward.
- AUSTRALIA (squad): Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle, Peter Handscomb
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
