Cricket

Ashton Agar, the Australian left-arm spinner, is ready to venture beyond the confines of international cricket and explore the lucrative world of franchise cricket. With a decade-long career in the Australian setup, Agar believes it's time to seek new challenges and opportunities.Agar, 30, is currently part of Australia's T20 World Cup squad but has only played three international matches across all formats in the past 1.5 years. He has realized that relying solely on national contracts can hinder his growth as a cricketer."I've made that mistake before and your cricket skills fall away, if you're clinging on to safety and security," Agar said in an interview with cricket.com.au.Agar's decision to explore franchise cricket follows the trend set by his Australian counterparts, such as David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Glen Maxwell, and Pat Cummins, who have become household names in leagues worldwide."I think a lot of people are going to do what I've just done in the coming years. We'll see it a lot more next year, more the year after -- and that's just going to be the way cricket works," Agar said.Agar, who has played in the T20 World Cup warm-up game against Namibia, hopes to be a part of the playing XI in the tournament and bowl alongside his close friend Adam Zampa."It had been really positive (messaging from national selectors) the whole time that if we were going to take two spinners I was going to go," Agar said.Agar's decision to seek opportunities outside of the Australian cricket establishment is a reflection of the changing landscape of the sport. With the proliferation of T20 leagues around the world, players are increasingly looking to maximize their earning potential and gain experience in different conditions.

Ashton Agar, the Australian all-rounder, has signed a short-term deal with Northamptonshire to play in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Agar will join the squad after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, replacing Zimbabwe's Sikander Raza, who will depart for national duty.Agar, 30, is a key member of Australia's T20 team and was part of their victorious squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He has also won the Big Bash League with Perth Scorchers.The left-arm spinner has taken 48 wickets in 47 T20Is for Australia, including a career-best 6 for 30 against New Zealand in 2021. He is known for his ability to bowl economical spells and take crucial wickets.Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler expressed his delight at signing Agar, saying, "Ashton is a remarkable player with a real ability to change and win matches. He's got a winning mindset, has played at the highest level, and we're delighted to get someone of his caliber to the club."Agar is expected to make his debut for Northamptonshire on July 5 and will play four matches before Raza returns for the final two group fixtures."We've got a real like-for-like replacement in Ashton, which is great," said Sadler. "We're pleased with the business we've done. Obviously, the Zimbabwe series was announced after we signed Sikandar, which is a shame, but we've still got him for eight games at the start, then for the last two games, and we're very excited about that."Agar's signing is a significant boost for Northamptonshire, who are currently in contention for a place in the Vitality Blast knockout stages. His experience and skill will be invaluable as they look to challenge for the title.

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa has expressed his preference for prioritizing international cricket over lucrative T20 franchise leagues. Zampa, who withdrew from the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) due to fatigue, believes that representing Australia brings him a greater sense of fulfillment."I've really come to love playing for Australia," Zampa said. "It's always been enjoyable, but under the current leadership, it's just so much more so. I make good money playing for Australia, and I would love to prioritize that and being with my family."Zampa acknowledged that franchise cricket has its benefits, but it doesn't compare to the camaraderie and atmosphere of the Australian dressing room. "I don't get enough out of franchise cricket," he said. "It's great for certain aspects of your life, but it's not like being in the Aussie dressing room. I don't get the same buzz out of it."The leg-spinner had previously considered becoming a globe-trotting T20 player, but has since realized that he prefers a more balanced approach. "I've thought about playing franchise cricket all year round, but after winning the World Cup and having a young family, I've realized I want to play cricket for as long as I can," he said. "Instead of trying to play for nine or 10 months of the year, I'd rather play for six or seven."Zampa is excited about Australia's upcoming T20 World Cup campaign in the West Indies and the USA, where he will reunite with left-arm spinner Ashton Agar. "I feel like there's a little bit of unfinished business," Zampa said. "Ash missed out on the last World Cup, and I really think this is his World Cup to put his stamp on."Zampa also praised the potential of young leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, who was in contention for a traveling reserve role before suffering an injury. "He's had a lot of niggles and injuries, but he's years ahead of where I was at his age," Zampa said. "He's really smart and certainly going to have a long career for Australia."

Australia's T20 World Cup squad has been announced, with some notable omissions. Jake Fraser-McGurk, despite his impressive IPL performances, and Steven Smith, a veteran of three-formats, have been left out.The selectors have opted for flexibility, choosing Ashton Agar as a second specialist spinner and Cameron Green as a spare allrounder. Nathan Ellis has been included as the fourth fast bowling option, while Josh Inglis will serve as the reserve wicketkeeper and utility batter.Fraser-McGurk's exclusion is surprising given his recent form. However, the selectors have prioritized experience and versatility. Travis Head, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh, who were dominant at last year's ODI World Cup, will form the top three.Smith's omission is less shocking. He has struggled to find a place in Australia's T20I side, having been dropped from the 2022 World Cup squad. The selectors have opted for a settled middle order, with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Matthew Wade likely to be in the first-choice XI.Green and Inglis were preferred to Fraser-McGurk and Smith due to their versatility. Green can cover for the injury-prone Marsh and Stoinis, while Inglis can fill in as wicketkeeper or bat in various positions.Chairman of selectors George Bailey explained the rationale behind the selections. "We believe Ashton can play a critical role in this tournament... The batting options available allow a tailored approach to each venue and opponent."Marsh, the captain, expressed his excitement about leading the team. "It's been an immense privilege to play for my country and now an even greater honour to lead the squad to a World Cup."

The Australian cricket landscape is undergoing a significant shift as several prominent players have been left off state contract lists, opting for freelance opportunities in global franchise leagues. Among them are Ashton Agar, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Behrendorff, and Andrew Tye, who have all been omitted from Western Australia's (WA) contract list for 2024-25.Agar's absence is particularly notable as the 30-year-old all-rounder has elected to pursue freelance opportunities globally, driven by limited playing time in WA's Sheffield Shield team last season. He has made this decision in consultation with WA's high-performance staff and Australia's selectors.By not taking a contract, Agar frees himself up to play in franchise leagues such as the SA20, ILT20, BPL, and PSL during Australia's domestic season. Tye, who signed a one-year deal with WA last season, has also opted to go freelance again, while Behrendorff will do so for the first time in his career.Despite not being contracted, Agar, Behrendorff, and Tye will remain involved in WA's program when not playing overseas. They will be selected for Marsh Cup games when available, and Agar remains keen to play Shield cricket if an opportunity arises.Stoinis, 34, is in a slightly different situation. He has not played for WA since March 2020 and is exploring the possibility of signing a year-round deal with his IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants. He has already played for the franchise's teams in the SA20 and IPL this year.Meanwhile, WA has added former New South Wales wicketkeeper Baxter Holt and Victoria quick Brody Couch to their squad. Holt is expected to get opportunities in Shield cricket, while Couch is looking for a fresh start after limited playing time in Victoria.

Western Australia's hopes of reaching the Sheffield Shield final have been boosted by the return of allrounder Aaron Hardie, who has been cleared to play in the crucial clash against Victoria in Melbourne from Monday.Hardie, who has been sidelined with a minor calf injury since facing Tasmania in Hobart in mid-February, has been passed fit and will bolster WA's lineup for the winner-takes-all match. The winner of the Victoria-WA clash will face Tasmania in the final.Ashton Agar has also been included in WA's squad as they cover all bases for the conditions they could face at Junction Oval. If Agar plays, it would be his first first-class match since the SCG Test against South Africa early last year.Agar has slipped down WA's red-ball pecking order behind offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who has been one of their standout bowlers this season with 37 wickets at 30.21. Agar has also fallen down Australia's white-ball hierarchy after being ruled out of the ODI World Cup through injury.Victoria have been boosted by the availability of Scott Boland, who has been released from Australia's Test squad in New Zealand. Boland has made five appearances for Victoria this season, taking 26 wickets at 16.50.There remains a slim chance that WA could still host the Shield final in Perth if Tasmania lose to South Australia and don't gain 0.14 more first-innings bonus points than them.In the Sheffield Shield, teams get six points for an outright win, one point for a draw, plus 0.01 of a bonus point for every run over 200 they score during the first 100 overs of their first innings and 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket a team takes during the first 100 overs of their opponent's first innings.If Victoria-Western Australia finished in a draw, there is an outside possibility of New South Wales sneaking into the final, although they would need a huge amount of bonus points against Queensland.