Discarded Australia opener Nathan McSweeney slammed his maiden first-class double century in the ongoing unofficial Test against England Lions at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
After the Lions were bowled out for 166 on the first day of the game, McSweeney, batting at three for Australia A, finished the day on 40 not out. He didn’t let his guard down on the second day, ending play unbeaten at 222. McSweeney’s previous top score in first-class cricket was a 127 not out for South Australia against New South Wales in the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield.
Having lost Matt Renshaw in just the 10th over of Australia A’s innings, McSweeney first added 72 runs with Campbell Kellaway (71) for the second wicket before a 135-run partnership with Cooper Connolly, who fell 12 short of a maiden first-class hundred, for the third wicket.
All-rounder Beau Webster (44), released from the Australia squad for the Brisbane Test, then joined up with the opener to add 117 runs for the fourth wicket. McSweeney’s third 100+ partnership of the game came with pacer Xavier Bartlett, who also hit his highest FC score of 83.
Australia A eventually finished the day at 554-7, leading England Lions by 388 runs, as the English senior men’s team also struggled to keep the hosts in check just an 11-minute drive away at the Gabba.
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Pacers Nathan Gilchrist and Josh Hull picked up three wickets each in the innings for the Lions, while Jacob Bethell, part of the senior squad for Ashes 2025/26, got the wicket of Bartlett.
Nathan McSweeney made his Test debut during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25, but couldn’t cross the 50-run mark in any of his six innings, with a top score of 39, before being dropped for Sam Konstas for the last two Tests. He hasn’t featured for Australia since, with Jake Weatherald called-up to replace Konstas for the Ashes.
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