The "future of Australian cricket" is bound for Manuka Oval to push for a Test recall with Cricket Australia reviving the Prime Minister's XI as a genuine selection trial.
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A Prime Minister's XI squad is set to be announced this week with Western Australia all-rounder Cameron Green set to be named in what has emerged as a shootout for Test spots.
Green is trying to reclaim his place in the Australian Test team after being overlooked in favour of Mitchell Marsh during the Ashes series, while three top order batters are fighting to fill David Warner's place at the top of the order.
Western Australia's Cam Bancroft, Queensland's Matt Renshaw and Victoria's Marcus Harris are all set to be named in the squad to face Pakistan at Manuka Oval from December 6.
The race to fill Warner's place - as tipped by The Canberra Times - will be complemented by the arrival of Green, the 24-year-old desperate to add to his 24 Test caps.
The selections are a major boost for the fixture which had struggled for relevance before its COVID-induced hiatus. The Prime Minister's XI jumped between Twenty20 and one-day formats and was played before dwindling crowds.
Cricket ACT officials concede a four-day game is a tough sell for a big crowd, but head of cricket Stu Karppinen says the fixture now has a clear purpose.
"That's one of the big shifts. The PM's now is viewed as part of the selection process for Australian games," Karppinen said.
"It's double-edged, isn't it? The traditional PM's, having some Canberra representation and that festival style is really good, but to have a four-day match when you have spots on the line and guys get rewards, you see some pretty good cricket.
"More broadly as a spectacle, it probably doesn't attract the larger crowds that we do with the Big Bash and the international matches.
"But for the cricket purists and the importance of showcasing Manuka in those longer formats, I actually think it's quite important.
"Manuka provides really good contests. It's a good test, so for Manuka to play a bit of a place there, it's a really good test run for Manuka to see potential international players because there is a relatively even contest between and ball."
Seven members of last year's Prime Minister's XI squad played international cricket in the year that followed, with Karppinen lauding the selection of Green as a major coup for this summer's fixture.
"He's the future of Australian cricket, isn't he? When you look at the potential and the ability he has got, it's a great opportunity to come and see someone of that calibre," Karppinen said.
"We first got a look at Todd Murphy last year [before he made his Test debut]. Mark Steketee has been there or thereabouts. The calibre of playing they're looking at, you're genuinely looking at a few of the next Test prospects."
The Prime Minister's XI squad is likely to be rounded out by a pair of ACT players as 12th and 13th man.
"I have given the nominations to the selection panel. We'll have two local Canberra players represented," Karppinen said.
"It was great last year, the players in the team did a really great job of embracing the local guys. The two that did it last year had a great time."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
