Aussies with most to gain in county cricket

The English county cricket season gets underway this week and, as always, there are a handful of Australians who will escape the winter at home to further their game in the UK.

And with Australian cricket in a state of uncertainty following the ball-tampering scandal, there's arguably never been more at stake for Australian players in the fringe of the national team, especially with a World Cup and Ashes tour to be held in the UK next year.

We take a closer look at some of the 16 Australians with plenty to gain in the UK this season

Aaron Finch, Surrey
(T20 only) 

The suspension of Steve Smith means Australia are on the hunt for a one-day and T20 international captain and opener Aaron Finch would appear to be one of the leading contenders for the role, which is set to be announced ahead of the ODI tour of England in June.

One of the few bright spots in their most recent ODI series, a 1-4 defeat to England on home soil, Finch more than ever looks to be one of Australia's most important white-ball players with Smith and David Warner banned for the next 12 months.

Image Id: 630D79FD47F842B5BE775BC73E80269C Image Caption: Finch celebrates a century for Surrey last year // Getty

And the Victorian's stint with Surrey for the T20 Blast tournament beginning in July is a chance to refine his approach to limited-overs cricket in England ahead of Australia's World Cup defence next year.

While Smith and Warner could be back for Australia's bid to retain the trophy, they will not be eligible to captain the side, meaning Finch could have another incentive to get acquainted with many of the tournament’s venues.

Hilton Cartwright, Middlesex
(Early part of the first-class season with potential to stay on)

With the landscape of Australian cricket tipped on its head by the suspensions of three of the country's best batsmen, Hilton Cartwright's fresh bid for a Test recall will begin at Lord's this year.

A late signing by Middlesex last week, the Western Australian has the perfect opportunity to mount his case at the home of cricket while a host of other fringe Test players take a break for the Australian winter.

Cartwright begun the recent summer as Australia's incumbent Test No.6, and was tipped by the likes of Ricky Ponting as the man best suited to that spot for the Ashes, but finished the season (which yielded 617 JLT Sheffield Shield runs at 32.47) out of favour with national selectors.

Image Id: 7EEF367745534194AC31D3DC85266FAF Image Caption: Cartwright was signed by Middlesex last week // Getty

It continues what's been a stop-start international career; he made his Test debut in January 2017 and was then left out of Australia's next squad (a 16-strong touring party that went to India for four Tests) altogether, before suffering the exact same fate after his ODI debut in October when he missed the ensuing ODI series against England in January.

Some runs on British soil could be the first step in discontinuing that trend.

Travis Head, Worcestershire
(All formats)

Like Cartwright, Travis Head's county stint couldn't come at a better time giving the uncertainty surrounding Australia's best Test XI.

Long earmarked as a future Test player, the South Australia captain is coming off his best Sheffield Shield season of his career (738 runs at 46 with two hundreds) and will slot into a Worcestershire side used to hosting Australians after John Hastings and Nathan Lyon featured at New Road last year.

Image Id: 602220DE088944499671556EB3856407 Image Caption: Head played T20s for Yorkshire in 2016 and 2017 // Getty

Head could share a dressing room with fellow off-spinning allrounder Moeen Ali and will benefit from playing in Division One of the Championship following the club's promotion for the 2018 season.

While he's yet to make his Test debut, the left-hander has become an ODI mainstay and the chance to play more 50-over cricket on British soil ahead of Australia's World Cup defence will also be a bonus.

Peter Siddle, Essex
(First five first-class games only)

Peter Siddle reinvented himself last summer with a surprise breakout Big Bash campaign with champions Adelaide Strikers, but the veteran insists he hasn't driven off into the sunset with his Baggy Green.

A five-game stint with Essex is an ideal audition for next year's five-Test series against England, when he hopes his experience in the UK will allow him to add to his 211 Test wickets.

Image Id: 277E0774C84B412099B1507CEC83184E Image Caption: Siddle has previously played for Notts and Lancashire // Getty

The trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are certain selections for Australia's next Ashes tour, while Siddle finds himself in a wide pool of contenders vying for perhaps two more fast-bowling spots in the squad.

While he's played just Test in the past 26 months, the right-armer has 62 Tests to his name and should not be discounted.

Shaun Marsh, Glamorgan
(All formats)

Experienced heads are in demand in the Australian camp more than ever but after a starring Ashes campaign, Shaun Marsh did himself few favours on the recent tour of South Africa.

Just 147 runs at 18.37 flowed from the left-hander's bat in the four-Test campaign, a far cry from the 445 runs at 74.16 he struck against England.

Image Id: 3E5A2594D816454EA033A5F42BAA7EE1 Image Caption: Marsh played for Yorkshire last season // Getty

Marsh's season-long stint in Wales, away from the pressures of international cricket, looms as the perfect tonic to an eventful summer.

And considering just one of his 32 Tests have been played in the United Kingdom (he scored 0 and 2 at Trent Bridge in 2015), the 34-year-old will be eager to find form in the UK a year out from the Ashes. 

ALL AUSTRALIANS IN COUNTY CRICKET IN 2018

Nathan Rimmington, Durham (all formats)

Adam Zampa, Essex (T20 only)

Shaun Marsh, Glamorgan (all formats)

Daniel Worrall, Gloucestershire (until July 2) 

Andrew Tye, Gloucestershire (T20 only)

Marcus Stoinis, Kent (T20 only)

James Faulkner, Lancashire (T20 only)

Joe Mennie, Lancashire (all formats)

Ashton Agar, Middlesex (T20 only)

Hilton Cartwright, Middlesex (early part of first-class season)

Daniel Christian, Nottinghamshire (T20 only)

Aaron Finch, Surrey (T20 only)

Callum Ferguson, Worcestershire (T20 only)

Travis Head, Worchestershire (all formats)

Billy Stanlake, Yorkshire (T20 only)