Queensland preview: Top-order runs key for Bulls

The headline when Queensland announced their male contract list in May was the return of Ben McDermott to his native state, where he played four games across the three formats in 2014. In 2023, the hard-hitting right-hander has barely been home, playing cricket in South Africa, the UK and Sri Lanka before more recently linking up with Australia A for their series against New Zealand A.

McDermott will add some much-needed firepower to a one-day squad that is currently enduring its longest-ever title drought, having last won in 2013-14, and looks likely to slot into a batting order which, at full strength, is among the country's most formidable. 

More broadly, the majority of Queensland's selection issues are pleasant ones, with their glut of pace-bowling allrounders jostling for positions, and their pair of star spinners likely to be vying for one place in the side more often than not. 

With pace leaders Michael Neser and Mark Steketee again sharing the new ball, and the former slotting in at number seven in the batting order, the Bulls look well placed to field a Sheffield Shield bowling attack capable of picking up the requisite 20 wickets. 

Perhaps the key question will be, can their batting group – when shorn of its star duo Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne – score enough runs?

Queensland Bulls 2023-24 squad: Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Jack Clayton, Blake Edwards, Liam Guthrie, Aryan Jain, Usman Khawaja*, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne*, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser*, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Connor Sully, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth. Rookies: Will Prestwidge, Jack Sinfield, Hugo Burdon, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney

* Cricket Australia contract

In: Ben McDermott, Aryan Jain, Tom Whitney, Hugh Weibgen

Out: Sam Truloff, Sam Heazlett, Matthew Willans, Kane Richardson

Possible Best XIs

Sheffield Shield: Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson

Marsh One-Day Cup: Usman Khawaja, Ben McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Max Bryant, Jimmy Peirson, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Gurinder Sandhu, Mitchell Swepson, Matt Kuhnemann

Last season

Sheffield Shield: 3rd

Marsh One-Day Cup: 4th

Inside word with head coach Wade Seccombe

The pre-season

"It's been a very different pre-season. It's had a bit of a weird vibe to it because we've had so many players in the UK. At one point we had about 10 players here, but the good thing was we knew they were all playing cricket, and there's value in that regardless of what the level is. And the guys who were here worked so hard and set a really good standard. Some of the young guys coming into the group were really impressive, and their maturity was quite evident. Jack Wildermuth led very much from the front in the physical department and his engagement was huge, so he was exceptional, but a lot of the guys impressed us along the way."

Injury update

"Xavier Bartlett's going to be held back a little bit this year with a back complaint after he came back from the UK. We won't be rushing him back into any cricket at this point in time. He's doing plenty of batting, which has gone to the next level over the last 12 months, and I see him being a genuine allrounder in the not-too-distant future. He's only 24 and there's a lot of upside to all of his cricket, so when he comes back into the group I see him playing an allrounder role for us."

Area for improvement

"Top-order runs." 

Young gun

"Jack Clayton will get his opportunities. He's a good young player for us who I think has a great future. He's got a very good all-round game, he's a pretty switched-on rooster who knows his game pretty well, and he's got some very good skills."

Talking points

One-day form

"We want to win every tournament, there's no two ways about it, and last year we missed a trick with the one-day game. We've been doing the work and we've got the personnel to deliver, so I'm expecting high things in that format, just like I would in the Shield format. We have very high expectations, so the fact we haven't won (since 2013-14), it doesn't sit well with me and it doesn't sit well with the wider group, and the playing group."

Mitch Swepson, Matt Kuhnemann, or both?

"We'll have to see how they're both tracking, but we haven't made those selection calls yet. It'll be a combination of everything. (The potential for two spinners) depends on the venues, too – that's what dictates the make-up of your side. Playing in Brisbane, it's very hard to go past your quicks, and your spinner will come into it later. Our first game is at Cricket Central in Sydney so we don't know what we're going to get there, and our second game is up in Mackay, so there's potential there. If conditions suit, we're not averse to playing two spinners because they're both of an international standard."

Ben McDermott's return

"Ben's an all-format player and we don't see that changing too much up here in Queensland. (No selection) decisions have been made yet, but he'll definitely be in the mix (for the Shield side), that's for sure. 

"He hasn't been around this environment for a number of years so he's going to find his feet, and that'll come in time. He's a world-class one-day player and hopefully he can help drive us to the pointy end of the competition alongside the other 10 guys. 

"It's nice having a back-up 'keeper in our squad, that's always very handy, and that's the role he'll play for us (with the gloves), as opposed to a front-runner."

Biggest strength? 

"We've got a good connection here, and we've got a clear direction of where this group wants to get to. We've also got a lot of players who sit at that Australia A level, so a strength of ours is we can produce high-quality teams most weeks, and this year there's a lot of competition for spots. I see the competition within the squad as being incredibly helpful for the group, just to keep driving them forward."

Player to watch

"Matthew Renshaw's got an opportunity in front of him and he's a player I'd really like to see put his hand up this year and force the national selectors' hands. So that's about consistency. It's tough at the top of the order, I get that, and some of the conditions he'll face will be tough, but if you're knocking the door down at the top, there's a spot there that's been earmarked already by David Warner, so we want to make sure he's the man who's in that position going forward. I think he's the next best cab off the rank from a national perspective, so we want to give him every chance we can to fly and push his case forward."

Team to beat

"The answer might seem obvious but I think a lot of teams aren't that far away from WA. I definitely don't put them up on a pedestal but form says they've been consistent. I think the best games will be Queensland v WA, and I believe we're their equal most days of the week."

Men's state previews 2023-24: NSW | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania | Victoria | Western Australia