What do people think about WA’s prospects this season, in a famous competition we have not won for the best part of two decades?
On ability should be fighting it out but as per the last 20 odd years will under-perform and probably finish 4th-6th AR!
Who have we lost player wise to Vic this year?
I cannot see us getting anywhere near the Viccos , NSW or Queensland so , sadly , it’s looking like another fourth place finish in the pipeline
I agree lads – it is amazing how ‘settled’ the squad is considering our poor record of late. One or two of the batsmen are lucky to be there me thinks.
Would love to see the likes of talented youngsters in Green, Philippe, Kelly et al take another step in their development this year…though with both Marsh boys available, Philippe probably will be pushed way down the order…resulting in little cameos here and there…ditto for Green most likely…batting wise WA has a plethora of allrounder types…Cartwright,Turner, M Marsh Hardie and Green…with Bancroft and S Marsh the only recognized batsmen…does Inglis get sidelined for Voges to keep with Bancroft, so all the above all rounder types get a gig
Are Behrendorf and Paris only available for white ball duties? On paper WA has some fantastic bowlers…just none ever seem to be fit…an attack of Richardson, Kelly, Green, Paris and Behrendorf should be able to run through a lot Aust shield sides…batting wise I can’t see any WA batsmen getting an Aussie gig this summer in the top 6…Bancroft surely is behind the likes of Burns now for Harris spot…
Freezin: good post, I agree completely about the squad having too many all rounders whom have under-achieved in recent years.
Pretty sure Behrendorff & NCN are only playing white ball cricket from now on AR & Freeze, Paris should be available for red ball as well although I heard he is injured again at the moment.
A possible side for the first shield game-
Bancroft
S.Marsh
Cartwright/Carder
M.Marsh
Turner
Stoinis/Hardie
Phillipe w/k Inglis/Whiteman
Agar
Richardson
Kelly
Moody/Paris/Mackin/Guthrie/Green/Hardie
A typical WA day (well the last 20 years at least) in the Sheffield Shield yesterday.
We win the toss and elect to bat and were rolled for 337 on a very good batting deck against a steady but hardly brilliant TAS bowling attack, with Stoinis the only batsman to pass 50 with 61.
Some more bizarre selections with Whiteman used as an opener can you believe with Bancroft, M.Marsh at 4, no Kelly who I thought was our best bowler last summer.
And that above is one of the many reasons why we havent won the Shield in over 20 years and are unlikely to do so this year again!
Lots of starts but no one went on with it, same old story for WA. Meanwhile Warner, Harris and Maddinson filling their boots in the other games although that pitch in Melbourne must be an absolute road!
When was the last time a WA batsman really filled their boots and made a big hundred/200?
I recall Chris Rogers making about 270 in about 2006 when he was still playing for WA. Voges has a few big hundreds but of the current crop I think Sean Marsh would have made a big hundred on a few occasions and Bancroft made a few big tons a few years back to push himself into test contention. Rare as rocking horse shit though.
mikeh – good memory
I saw a little bit of it before the rain delay. The bowlling was okay, but probably a wee bit short to really threaten Tasmania if they bat well. I am sure bowllers, such as Macclay, Alderman and Malone, bowlled a much fuller length in the past.
Mitch Marsh looks like he has injured his hand belting the wall in frustration after his dismissal today. Hopefully for his sake he hasnt broken it. Makes you wonder where his mind is right now to do something as dumb as that. Gutsy innings by Paris to put on 80 with Agar to snuff out Tasmanias faint hopes. Looks like Paris will be sidelined again with a hamstring injury. Gives Matt Kelly an opportunity for a return and Short will probably come in for Mitch.
You really have to wonder what goes on down there at the WACA sometimes?
Only a determined dogged last wicket stand of 85 between Agar and an injured Paris (again) saved WA from a probable outright loss against TAS at home.
Kelly should be a certainty to replace Paris as he should have played this game whilst Cartwright or Short will replace M.Marsh you would think. I did hear Green has a side issue as well so his replacement will probably come from either- Moody, Morris, Guthrie, Mackin or Hardie.
A bit of a concern, particularly from the batting point of view. Tasmania’s attack is modest at best with the exception of Jackson Bird. Victoria will have Pattinson, Tremain, Boland and Siddle all champing at the bit to bowl at the WACA this weekend after the lifeless pitch that they were served up against SA.
You are not wrong Mike that is a very strong VIC attack, gee that Junction Oval pitch must be as flat as Roe Hwy if the VIC bowlers gave up nearly 700 runs with Tom Cooper scoring a big unbeaten double hundred.
escaped with some points and that’s about it
Time for Phillippe to open absolutely wasted at 6
the Whiteman idea ??? pffffff rubbish !!!
Spot on Southy he is a keeper not an opener.
I see S.Marsh is 100no overnight after the VICs made 341 in their first dig.
delicately poised - it could go either way mate
question is whether or not recent history can be belted away tomorrow