Cricket Australia has announced its 23-man group of central contracts for the 2024-25 cricket season, with some exciting youngsters rewarded for their feats as ageing stars fade out.
As ever, the 2024-25 cricket season promises to be one of the biggest yet. A mid-year T20 World Cup offer Australia a chance to reclaim the trophy they won in 2021, then the side travel to England for a short format tour before returning home to host India in the first five-Test Border-Gavaskar series.
Just like every year, Cricket Australia has updated its central contracts before all the action kicks off. Some commissions may come as a surprise to the masses, while others make complete sense when all is considered.
Analysis of the ins and outs of CA’s updated central contracts list suggests the organisation is blooding a new generation of Australian cricketers, future-proofing the national sides over all three formats of the game. The average age of the players whose central contracts weren’t renewed is 35, while the average age of CA’s newest centrally contracted players is just under 27.
Ahead of the cricket season kicking into life, let’s explore who’s in and who’s out of Cricket Australia’s 2024-25 central contracts list.
Cricket Australia’s 2024-25 central contracts ins & outs
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Who’s in?
Xavier Bartlett
Age: 25
Role: Fast bowler
A short-format specialist, big quick Xavier Bartlett has impressed in recent months. First, he took 20 wickets in the 2023-24 Big Bash season, more than any other player, as his Brisbane Heat side claimed their second title.
Then, on international debut for Australia against the West Indies in February 2024, Bartlett showcased his masterful bowling and frightening potential, taking 4/17 to earn himself Player of the Match. In his second match, he took 4/21, earning Player of the Match honours whilst being named Man of the Series.
National selection chair, George Bailey, celebrated Bartlett as being ‘extremely impressive in the early stages of [his] international career.’ Bailey added the collective belief amongst CA that the quick bowler’s international career will be long and storied.
Matt Short
Age: 28
Role: Batsman
In the 2023-24 Big Bash season, no batsman scored more runs than Matt Short. His 541 runs came at an average of 60.11 and included a league-leading 25 sixes. Put simply, few Australian cricketers are as exciting in the shorter formats as Short.
While his four One Day internationals haven’t showcased his talents, as he averages just over 17 with a high score of 42. At the T20 International level, there can be no doubt about Short’s talent with the bat, as well as in the field with the ball.
If Australia are to win the 204 T20 World Cup, they’ll need Short, who was Player of the Match in the 3rd T20I of Australia’s tour of New Zealand, fit and firing.
Nathan Ellis
Age: 29
Role: Fast bowler
Arguably the most established of the quartet, Nathan Ellis will forever be remembered as the first bowler to take a hat-trick on his T20 International debut, against Bangladesh in 2021. Across 14 T20Is, the Tasmania Sheffield Shield star has 24 wickets at an average of 17.
Aaron Hardie
Age: 25
Role: All-rounder
One of Australia’s most promising cricketers, there are few short-format players as destructive as Aaron Hardie. His 334 runs were the third most in the 2023-24 Big Bash, a season where he also took six wickets at an average of 18.66.
In the longer formats of cricket, Hardie has shown his talents, particularly in the Sheffield Shield. His first-class batting average of 43.10 is up there for an all-rounder, especially one with 62 wickets to his name. A highlight of his career is his unbeaten 174 in the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield season final. Expect big things from Hardie in years to come.
Who’s out?
Marcus Stoinis
Age: 34
Role: All-rounder
For many years, Marcus Stoinis was a brutally powerfully hitting machine capable of decimating bowling attacks in a matter of overs. Destructive no matter what position he batted at, Stoinis was a member of the 2021 T20 World Cup-winning Australian side.
However, age has caught up with Stoinis, with Cricket Australia evidently looking to usher in a new era with its latest batch of central contracts.
Ashton Agar
Age: 30
Role: Spin bowler
Everyone remembers Ashton Agar’s Test cricket debut. He grew into a perceived short-format specialist but hasn’t played an ODI since 2015 and a T20I since 2022.
David Warner
Age: 37
Role: Opening batsman
I mean, this one makes perfect sense. David Warner has retired from both Test and ODI cricket. Renewing his contract would be a waste, despite his underappreciated career achievements.
Marcus Harris
Age: 31
Role: Opening batsman
Marcus Harris hasn’t played a Test match for Australia since 2022 and looks to be well down the nation’s opening batting pecking order. Having never featured for his country in either ODI or T20I cricket, Harris removal from CA’s central contracts list makes sense.
Michael Neser
Age: 33
Role: All-rounder
To many, Michael Neser is the best all-rounder in Australia. Every single time he’s donned the baggy green, Neser’s impressed. However, he appears out of favour at the moment, given the electrifying form of Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green’s promotion up the order. Two caps just don’t feel right though, a player of his skill deserves many more.
Full 2024-25 Cricket Australia central contract players
In alphabetical order: Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
