Cricket

Glenn Maxwell, the enigmatic Australian all-rounder, is set to make his long-awaited return to red-ball cricket in Cricket Australia's Second XI four-day competition. Maxwell has been named in Victoria's 12-man squad for the match against Queensland at the Junction Oval, starting on Monday.This marks Maxwell's first four-day match in over 12 months as he gears up for a potential Test tour of Sri Lanka early next year. However, it is unlikely that he will feature in Victoria's next Sheffield Shield match, which begins just three days after the Second XI game.Maxwell's inclusion in the Second XI squad is part of a carefully managed workload, given his history of injuries. The 36-year-old has played only two first-class matches in the last five years.Despite his limited red-ball experience, Maxwell remains a serious contender for Australia's Test tour of Sri Lanka. His experience in the subcontinent, where he played in the 2022 Sri Lanka tour, makes him a valuable asset.Maxwell's ability as a spin-bowling allrounder is seen as an advantage in the spinning conditions of Sri Lanka. All of his seven Test matches have been played on the subcontinent, with his last appearance coming in Bangladesh in 2017.While Shield cricket is not considered a direct indicator of Test performance in Sri Lanka, Maxwell's participation in the Second XI game is crucial for his physical conditioning.Victoria's Second XI squad also includes state captain Will Sutherland, who is returning from a serious back injury. Sutherland will bowl under restrictions in the match.

Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, has made a remarkable start to his cricket career, scoring a maiden century for Lancashire's 2nd XI at the age of 16.Flintoff, who made his second-team debut earlier this month, reached three figures against Warwickshire at Edgbaston after a 39-run partnership with his older brother Corey. Batting at No. 5, Flintoff hit several early boundaries off Warwickshire's highly-rated seamer Che Simmons, including an inside-edge past his leg stump. He also hit a brace of leg-side sixes, the first reminiscent of his dad's pull shot and the second an effortless pick-up over midwicket.Flintoff put on exactly 100 in 14.3 overs with Saqib Mahmood, the England fast bowler, who is captaining Lancashire's 2nd XI as he continues his rehabilitation from a back stress fracture. He also spent 13 overs batting with his older Corey, 18, with the pair adding 39 for the seventh wicket.He reached his hundred when cutting Lintott through cover-point for a single, raising his left hand aloft in celebration as he ran through before raising his bat.Both Flintoff brothers have been in Lancashire's academy since a young age, and have played club cricket for Southport and Birkdale. They both attend Manchester Grammar School, the alma mater of former England players Michael Atherton and John Crawley as well as Lancashire's director of cricket Mark Chilton.Their father Andrew has returned to cricket in the last nine months, after suffering serious injuries in a high-speed crash while filming an episode of Top Gear in 2022. He will continue to work as a consultant with England at June's T20 World Cup after spending time with their white-ball and Lions teams, and will coach Northern Superchargers in the men's Hundred this summer.