‘He’s a bit angry’: Aussies address blacklist rumour as ‘lineball’ selection call explained

Head of national selectors George Bailey has emphatically denied suggestions that Cameron Bancroft has been black-listed from returning to Australia’s Test XI after his latest snub.

Bancroft, the highest run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield of the past two seasons, was on Wednesday left off a 13-player list to play the first Test against the West Indies.

Instead, Steve Smith was confirmed as Australia’s opening replacement for David Warner, while Cameron Green will bat at No.4, and Matthew Renshaw is back-up.

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The announcement confirmed the worst-kept secret that Bancroft would again be left waiting for his first Test appearance since 2019.

“He’s gone through a whole range of emotions,” Bancroft’s manager Ben Tippett told SEN’s Sportsday.

“Yesterday, he was really upset, disappointed is probably more the feeling. Today he might be a bit angry, but he’s such a positive bloke.”

Even before confirmation, figures from the West were up in arms, with former all-rounder Tom Moody suggesting there was an “agenda” against Bancroft, who famously ball-tampered for Australia in Cape Town in 2018.

Moody wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that while selection is “never an easy task… the oversight of Cameron Bancroft is shocking”.

“His first class numbers are so compelling against his peers it feels there is another agenda which I hope was communicated to him honestly!” he added.

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Rumours swirled ahead of the squad announcement that Bancroft’s standing within the team after the ball-tampering scandal had something to do with his snubbing.

However, Bailey strongly refuted those suggestions when asked by a reporter on Wednesday.

“Categorically no (there’s no issue between players and Bancroft),” he said.

“And I’ve shared this with Cameron on a number of occasions. It’s never been discussed, from the panel’s perspective, it’s purely a cricketing decision.”

He added: “There’s not a member of the team who would have an issue with Cam playing. We certainly don’t have an issue with it.

“I think a lot of people forget the fact that Cam’s actually played Test cricket since returning from the ban.

“It was a long time ago. We’ve all moved well past that. I’d be disappointed if people were looking to that as a reason… that’s not the case. Never has been and never will be.”

As for why Bancroft was left out, Bailey said other players – not specifically openers – had been banging down the door, and he only missed out in a “line ball call”.

“Ultimately the decision to get Cam (Green) into the team was around we want our best six batters playing. As it currently stands the panel sees Matt Renshaw as our next best batsman,” he said.

He added: “He is banging down the door. As I said, I think there’s a number of players that are banging down the door and that’s great. It’s not a bad thing that you’re having to make line ball decisions. It’s actually a really good thing.”

Earlier, Bancroft’s former coach and fellow West Australian Justin Langer joined the batter’s corner, saying his snubbing was “disappointing”.

Langer wrote in a column for The West Australian: “The mantra for all selectors is to tell aspiring players to score runs, take wickets, knock down the door. Be so good we can’t ignore you. Bancroft was given this message. All players are. He has taken the advice.

“Critics might point to his weaknesses of days gone by. Every player who is any good, gets dropped, looks for feedback and then goes away and gets better. Bancroft has ticked this box as well.“Form can’t be the issue. Timing isn’t either. David Warner has just retired. Cameron Bancroft will feel disappointed, as will Marcus Harris who has been next in line for some time. Matthew Renshaw will be understandably delighted.”