Maxwell and Boland Return for Victoria's Historic Night Clash

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-23

Glenn Maxwell is back in Victoria's colors for a one-day clash against New South Wales – and he's doing it without a contract. Just five days after captaining Belfast Wolves in Dublin, Maxwell returns to the Junction Oval for what promises to be a historic night. ### Maxwell's Surprise Return Without a Contract Maxwell's inclusion raises eyebrows. He retired from ODI cricket in early 2025 and holds no contract with Victoria or Cricket Australia. He was dropped from CA's central contract list earlier this year, though he hasn't formally retired from Tests. Australia have only five T20Is scheduled in the 2026-27 contract year, and Maxwell was left out of the most recent series against Bangladesh in June. Despite that, he'd spoken with Victoria about playing in the One-Day Cup. That conversation turned into a spot against NSW. It's not his first appearance since retiring from ODIs – he played two One-Day Cup games last September, scoring his maiden List A century for the state. Victoria has four more One-Day Cup fixtures before the BBL: September 25, October 12, October 24, and November 16. Coach Chris Rogers hasn't said if Maxwell will play beyond Friday. ### Boland Gets One Game Before Test Duty Scott Boland will also feature, getting a single match before flying to South Africa on Sunday to join Australia's Test squad. He missed Victoria's opening win over Queensland in Brisbane last week. Rogers said having contracted players like Boland helps the squad: "Their performance and the example they set for younger players is invaluable," he noted. The timing – the eve of the AFL Grand Final – should draw a big crowd. ### Squad Stretched Thin Across Commitments Victoria is missing several players on national duty: - Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, and Fergus O'Neill are with Australia A in India. - Ollie Peake is with Australia's ODI squad in South Africa. All except Murphy are expected back for the October 12 match. Murphy stays with Australia A for three one-day games ending October 11. Rogers admitted fitting everyone back in will be tough. He also praised the younger players in the win over Queensland, where Victoria chased down 336 after being 14 for 4. Debutant centuries from Liam Blackford and captain Will Sutherland led the charge. "The depth we're seeing from uncapped players says a lot about our program," Rogers said. ### What This Means for Victoria's Season Maxwell's return adds star power, even if it's just for one game. Boland's presence strengthens the bowling before he leaves. With so many players away, the opportunity for younger guys to step up is huge – and they've already shown they can deliver. As the season progresses, Rogers will have a selection headache, but that's a good problem to have. For now, all eyes are on Friday's historic night match at the Junction Oval. For more cricket news and updates, visit JeetWin Blog!