Maxwell and Boland Return for Victoria's Historic Day-Night Clash

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-23

Glenn Maxwell is back in Victoria's One-Day Cup squad to face New South Wales, and he's arriving straight from Dublin, where he captained the Belfast Wolves in the ETPL final just five days ago. That's a whirlwind turnaround, but if anyone can handle it, it's Maxi. Scott Boland is also in the squad for this match, which will be the first floodlit game under the new lights at Junction Oval on Friday. It's a historic moment for the venue, and having two big names like Maxwell and Boland makes it even more special. ### Maxwell's Surprise Return Without a Contract Here's the thing: Maxwell retired from ODI cricket earlier this year and doesn't hold a contract with Victoria or Cricket Australia. He was removed from CA's central contract list, and he's only notionally available for T20I selection. But he hasn't retired from Test cricket, so there's still a chance we could see him in the longer format. Australia have just five T20Is scheduled in the 2026-27 contract year, and Maxwell was left out of the most recent series against Bangladesh in June. So, when he reached out to Victoria earlier in the winter about playing in the One-Day Cup, it was a no-brainer for them. That conversation turned into a spot in the squad for Friday's game. This isn't the first time Maxwell has played in this competition since his ODI retirement. Last September, he played two matches for Victoria, including his maiden List A century for the state. Back then, he was still contracted to CA, and those games were preparation for a T20I tour of New Zealand. Now, he's back, but without a contract, which makes this appearance even more intriguing. Victoria have four more One-Day Cup fixtures before the BBL starts: September 25, October 12, October 24, and November 16. Coach Chris Rogers hasn't said whether Maxwell will play beyond Friday, so we'll have to wait and see. ### Boland Set for One Outing Before Joining Test Squad Scott Boland will get one game with Victoria before he flies to South Africa on Sunday to join Australia's Test squad. He missed Victoria's win over Queensland in Brisbane last week, so this will be his only chance to get some match practice before the Test series. Rogers said having contracted players like Boland in the squad is a big boost. Not only do they perform, but they also set an example for the younger players. And with the match happening on the eve of the AFL Grand Final, there should be a good crowd at Junction Oval. ### Victoria Manage a Squad Stretched Across Commitments Victoria are missing several players who are on national duty. Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, and Fergus O'Neill are all with the Australia A squad in India. Ollie Peake is with Australia's ODI squad in South Africa. All of them except Murphy are expected back for the October 12 match. Murphy will stay with Australia A for three one-day games that finish on October 11. Rogers admitted that fitting everyone back into the side will be tough as the season goes on. He also praised the younger players for their performance in the win over Queensland. Victoria chased down 336 after being 14 for 4, thanks to debutant centuries from Liam Blackford and captain Will Sutherland. Rogers said the depth shown by uncapped players is a great sign for the program's future. > "The way the young guys stood up under pressure shows the strength of our system," Rogers said. "It's exciting to see what they can do." For more cricket news and updates, visit JeetWin Blog!