Maxwell eager to cement his Test place

Cricket365
September 17, 2015

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is 'pretty excited' about being recalled to the Test team, and hopes the trip to Bangladesh will allow him to secure a more permanent spot in the Baggy Green.

Maxwell last played a Test in 2014, and only has three caps. He's been seen as more of a specialist short format player, but his spin bowling has given him the edge as they head to the sub-continent for two Tests.

Maxwell, who played for Yorkshire while the Aussies contested the Ashes, said of his newest Test chance: "I'm obviously pretty excited.

"It’s been a long work in progress, the last few months, playing over here (in England’s County Championship) and trying to play as much red-ball cricket as I can and it’s paid off with the selection.

"I can get a few games and stay on that team.

"It seems I'm a bit of a subcontinent specialist at the moment, so hopefully I can turn that into (being) just a Test specialist and really stay in that squad, because it’s a place where I want to be.

"I want to be in all three formats, and while I'm hitting the ball really well in one-day cricket at the moment I really want to carry that over into the red-ball stuff, and hopefully stay in that team for a long time."

If Maxwell is picked as a spinning all-rounder, he will bowl alongside Nathan Lyon, who is referred to as 'Gaz', the premier spinner. Maxwell says he's happy to bat and six and show what he can do with bat and ball.

He added: "I'd like to be five or six, play that middle-order role and be that extra spinner that the Australian team needs.

"To give ‘Gaz’ that extra help at the other end would be nice and I'd love to be batting in the middle order and scoring some big runs for us.

"It would be nice to play a couple of Tests in a row and get some momentum. I've had a taste of it.

"I just really want to have that time to really settle in and feel comfortable, the same way I have in the one-day and T20 side, so (it’s about) getting that time in the middle and getting that time in the team.

"I think we're different types of off-spinners. He’s obviously a little bit more over the top (in his action) and gets a lot more spin and bounce, and I feel like I can work well with him.

"We've bowled together in India before and done quite well together, so it would be nice to bowl in partnership with him and do really well for Australia."