Test opener completes state switch as SA bolster squad

Test opener Jake Weatherald has completed a shock return to South Australia as the two-time reigning Sheffield Shield champions unveiled seven additions to their list for next season.

Weatherald, who scored a century for English county Leicestershire on the weekend, where he's playing ahead of Australia's two-Test series against Bangladesh in August, returns to Adelaide where his wife Rachel remained during his three seasons with Tasmania.

SA men's squad for 2026-27: Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey (CA), Brendan Doggett (CA), Jake Fraser‑McGurk, Matthew Gilkes, Travis Head (CA), Henry Hunt, Hanno Jacobs, Spencer Johnson, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Noah McFadyen, Nathan McSweeney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Henry Thornton, Campbell Thompson, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Mackenzie Harvey, Jerrssis Wadia, Jake Weatherald (CA). Rookies: Thomas Brown, Kane Halfpenny, Douwtjie Hoogenboezem, Hayden Schiller

Ins: Matthew Gilkes (NSW), Noah McFadyen, Jerrssis Wadia, Jake Weatherald (Tasmania), Thomas Brown, Kane Halfpenny, Hayden Schiller

Outs: Daniel Drew, Thomas Kelly, Conor McInerney, Harry Matthias, Aidan Cahill

"I would like to thank Cricket Tasmania for the opportunity to come down and not only play but be a part of a fantastic program," Weatherald said in a statement. "Jeff (Vaughan, head coach), Sall(iann Beams, high performance manager) and the entire program in general welcomed me in and have allowed to me to reach a new level of cricket which greatly assisted in realising my Australian Test dreams."

The left-hander has a Cricket Australia deal and though nationally contracted players can nominate a state of their choice as the fall outside the domestic salary cap, Weatherald needed clearance from Tasmania to seal the move given he had two years to run on his Tigers contract after signing an extension last April.

Weatherald couldn't break into Tasmania's red-ball side during his first season with the state in 2023-24, but a sensational 906-run campaign with three centuries the following summer catapulted him into international calculations.

The 31-year-old made his Test debut in Perth last November and played all five Ashes Tests in Australia's 4-1 triumph, producing several handy contributions in his 201 runs at 22.33 with his best knock of 72 coming in the first innings at the Gabba.

After finishing the Sheffield Shield season with scores of 95 and 62 in Tasmania's final two games, his maiden county century in his third match for Leicestershire takes him to 314 runs at 104.66 in four innings in division one, having added 104 from 114 balls against Glamorgan before retiring with cramp.

National selection chair George Bailey said earlier this month that Weatherald's promotion to a CA contract was an "indication" he was in the box seat to hold his spot at the top of the order to face Bangladesh, beginning in his childhood hometown of Darwin on August 13.

"It's not a guarantee; he's the incumbent in that role," Bailey said. "He's had two good years of really consistent first-class cricket as well.

"There was a real plan and a target from England around some of the technical aspects of his game, but we think he can play and he's got a really good opportunity now to go to Leicester … and fine tune his game."

Weatherald's return to South Australia, where he began his professional career as a 21-year-old in 2016, provides for the mouthwatering possibly of him opening the batting with Test partner Travis Head in the Sheffield Shield.

However, such a scenario appears slim next season given Australia's bumper three-format schedule, which includes a three-Test tour of South Africa in October and white-ball series against England in November.

Weatherald will also be hoping to barely feature for the state next summer with Australia to then host New Zealand for four Tests from December 9 before departing to India and embarking on a five-match campaign from mid-January to early March.

Weatherald previously spent eight seasons with South Australia where he was quickly earmarked for higher honours after scoring 66 and 96 in their 2015-16 Shield final loss to Victoria in just his fourth first-class game.

He rejoins the state as their fourth most prolific Sheffield Shield opener with 3,837 runs at 34 in 60 matches.

SA have also lured wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Gilkes – who averaged almost 27 with 19 half-centuries in 45 Shield matches for NSW – as another back-up option for Test gloveman Alex Carey alongside Harry Nielsen.

Emerging left-arm quick Campbell Thompson has secured an upgrade from the rookie list after impressing with three wickets on first-class debut in February, which included the prized scalp of Usman Khawaja.

Allrounder Noah McFadyen, who was named in SA's round 10 Shield squad, has been awarded his first state contract after winning back-to-back Bradman Medals as Premier Cricket's player of the season. The 23-year-old from Queensland has amassed 1,700 runs and taken 84 wickets since joining Adelaide Cricket Club two years ago.

India-born allrounder Jerssis Wadia, who made national headlines with eye‑catching performances for the Adelaide Strikers last season, has also earned a full state contract after impressing for the SA Second XI alongside McFadyen, hitting 439 runs with a century and two fifties in six matches.

Batter Kane Halfpenny, allrounder Thomas Brown and quick Hayden Schiller have all secured rookie deals.

South Australia previously announced opener Conor McInerney, batter Daniel Drew and allrounder Thomas Kelly would not receive contracts next season, while Harry Matthias and Aidan Cahill were unable to secure upgrades to the senior list and were no longer eligible for rookie contracts due to their age.

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