"He deserves a spot on the plane to go to England" - Adam Voges backs Cameron Bancroft for Ashes
Western Australia coach Adam Voges has earmarked Cameron Bancroft's selection for the upcoming Ashes series in England. Voges statement comes after Bancroft's glut of runs in first-class cricket and him being in a much better space than before.
Bancroft finished as the leading run-getter in the 2022-23 Sheffield Shield season, finishing with 945 runs in 11 matches at 59.06 with four tons. However, he hasn't played Test cricket since 2019 due to poor form in the Ashes that year.
Speaking after Western Australia's second successive Shield title win, Voges admitted that Bancroft has handled the opening duties at the WACA incredibly well and is primed for an Ashes recall this winter.
As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, the 43-year-old said:
"Cameron's been building to a season like this for a little while now. Technically, I think he's in a much better space than he has been previously. Batting out here at the WACA, particularly opening the batting, is not the easiest thing in the world to do.
"For him to be able to overcome those challenges and then really go on and convert some of those starts into big scores, I'm really pleased for him. I think he deserves a spot on the plane to go to England in the winter. I think you're always more ready the second time around. He'll learn from the experiences and he'll certainly be much better for it."
The opener has 446 runs at an average of 26.23 in 10 Tests with three fifties since his debut in 2017.
"Justin was absolutely brilliant" - Cameron Bancroft
Cameron Bancroft credited former Aussie coach Justin Langer for giving him tips and guiding him.
"Justin was absolutely brilliant, just talking about my mindset. There was a couple of cues that worked for him as a player...that I can relate to. His guidance and his experience and his knowledge that he has shared with me this season has been really invaluable."
Reflecting on his upcoming stint with Somerset, the right-hander suggested that it would keep him in good stead for the Ashes (if selected). He added:
"The focus shifts pretty quick from this onto that. The dreams and aspirations of playing higher are always there, and I'm sure they are for all cricketers but I just tried to finish this season off really well and then move on to the next lot of cricket I'm playing."
The 2023 Ashes series starts at Edgbaston on June 16.