As we continue our Domestic One Day Cup preview series here on The Roar, today we move on to the Western Australia Warriors.
The Warriors only avoided finishing last in the 2013 Ryobi Cup via a higher net run rate than South Australia. They only won the single game, which came against the Tasmania Tigers.
The Western Australians never looked much of a threat last season and in the end never came close. Like the South Australians, they will be looking for a monster turnaround this year to get themselves at the right end of the table.
Adam Voges will captain the Warriors throughout their campaign, and even after making the Sheffield Shield final last year they probably won’t improve a lot on last year’s one day campaign.
The Warriors will also lose Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Marsh to national duties. The Mitches are possibly their best two players, which will not improve their chances at all.
The addition of Michael Klinger to their squad will also help the Warriors, however the losses of Marcus North and Simon Katich will mean they lack a lot of experience and skill.
Probable Best XI
1. Shaun Marsh
2. Michael Klinger
3. Marcus Harris
4. Adam Voges (c)
5. Cameron Bancroft
6. Sam Whiteman (wk)
7. Andrew Tye
8. Ashton Agar
9. Nathan Rimmington
10. Jason Behrendorff
11. Nathan Coulter – Nile
Players to Watch
Michael Klinger: Klinger has this year transferred to the Warriors from the Redbacks where he has played domestic cricket for the last few years.
He has been one of the premier batsmen in the domestic game and the Warriors will be hoping for no different this season. Last season in the Ryobi Cup Klinger managed to score 380 runs at an average of 76.
If he can do that again for the Warriors this year it will go a long way to moving the Warriors away from the bottom of the table.
Ashton Agar: Agar burst onto the scene last year as Australia’s new great spin bowling hope and played a couple of Test matches at the start of last year’s Ashes. He was more remembered for his batting heroics at number 11 for the Australian team than what he was selected for – his bowling.
Western Australia will be hoping he can take control for this year’s Matador Barbecues Cup and help Western Australia to some wins.
Major Strength
Pace Bowling. With Nathan Rimmington, Nathan Coulter–Nile and Jason Behrendoff they have some international experience and one of the better pace attacks in the competition this year. If they get it right they could really limit opposition teams scored making their run chasing a lot easier.
Major Weakness
The biggest weakness for the Warriors undoubtedly is the lack of experience in their batting order. It could lead to a lot of inconsistency and if that happens it will create major headaches for the Warriors.
Full Fixture List
Game 1: South Australia versus Western Australia eighth October @ The Gabba (Start time 9:30am)
Game 2: Western Australia versus Tasmania 11th October @ The Gabba (Start time 9:30am)
Game 3: Tasmania versus Western Australia 13th October @ North Sydney (Start time 10:00am)
Game 4: New South Wales versus Western Australia 15th October @ Drummoyne (Start time 2:00pm)
Game 5: Western Australia versus South Australia 17th October @ Bankstown Oval (Start time 10:00am)
Game 6: Victoria versus Western Australia 19th October @ Drummoyne (Start time 2:00pm)
Game 7: Western Australia versus Queensland 2second October @ Bankstown Oval (Start time 10:00am)
Series Prediction
Can’t see a lot changing from last year however they will be very dependent on certain youngsters in their team to be consistent.
So Western Australia will probably end up at the wrong end of the table, but you just never know how well their youngsters are going to perform over the course of their seven games. Tomorrow we wrap up the series with the Tasmania Tigers preview.
Don Freo
Guest
Don't you just love Paris in the springtime? He's done it again...another first over breakthrough and another 3 for... Behrendorff, NCN and Agar all impressive with the ball. It's live on Gem today. Not sure the prediction of The Warriors down the bottom actually took into account who was in their team.
Scott Pryde
Expert
No problem Lachlan. Sorry for the slow reply as I have been on holidays. Tye could play for Australia one day for sure but maybe not in the near future.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Yeah I'm aware that he's still a teenager. Just wondering whether his fans on here will get to see him play.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
WA's batting looks really weak without the Marsh brothers, neither of whom will play any part in this tournament. Doran isn't in the NSW squad and I'd be surprised to see him play for them in any format this summer. The kid is just 17yo.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Thanks Ronan. Mackin is looking really promising, same with Paris and obviously Behrendorff. Rimmington is no mug either. WA could well have the best (or one of the best) pace attacks in the Shield for the next few years. I'm a bit concerned about the middle order though. I'm not sure Turner is at that standard yet, although I am a fan of his so I hope he does well. Those scores for the NPS are impressive. I see him as a bits and pieces player at the moment. Probably not good at either to earn his selection. It's a shame Bosisto didn't make the squad. Will Doran be featuring in this tournament?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
No Don that is not the named team, just my predicted lineup based on their 15-man squad for the tournament announced today. Cartwright is not in the squad. Tom...Bosisto is not in the WA squad, but Mackin is. He might get a chance at some point but NCN and Behrendorff are locks and in Paris and Rimmington he has stiff competition for the 3rd paceman spot. As for Ashton Turner it is hard to know what to make of him at this point. He started his pro career as an off spinner first and foremost, and bizarrely made his FC debut for Australia as a spinner on the Ashes tour last year as a last minute call up. But he is now being viewed more as a middle-order batsman with his spin a bonus. He has plenty of talent with bat and ball and was impressive for the NPS in the one-day tournament against Aus A, SA A and India A recently, making 265 runs at 38.
Don Freo
Guest
Vic's first 6 is way stronger than Warrior's but if WA can get to Mackay at 8...Vics should fold very quickly. I don't think Simmons is a walk up start...nor Tye. Might be opening with Harris or Bancroft and Cartwright at 7. Is that the named team, Ronan
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Ronan, how do you rate Ashton Turner? Also, are Bosisto and Mackin likely to get a look for this tournament? I haven't seen the squad but I assume they're in it. Is Shaun Marsh still injured?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Squads for the WA vs Victoria match on Saturday have been announced. I reckon these will be the likely lineups: WA: 1. Simmons 2. Klinger 3. Bancroft 4. Voges 5. Turner 6. Whiteman 7. Agar 8. Tye 9. Coulter-Nile 10. Paris 11. Behrendorff Beer is a better bowler than Agar at this stage but I can see WA picking Agar for his batting advantage. VIC: 1. Quiney 2. Stoinis 3. Wade 4. White 5. Hussey 6. Handscomb 7. Christian 8. McKay 9. Haberfield 10. Holland 11. Boland
Don Freo
Guest
Not always his choice.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
They probably thought that Arafat would be able to handle the Pakistan spin bowlers. Hoggy usually tries to not bat at all in T20s.
Don Freo
Guest
Very exciting...future Aussie captain...and he has annointed Joel Paris. "It certainly was tight," says Mitch Marsh, who is also the Man of the Match. "Certainly not the start we would have wanted. Those totals are not always easy, and they have an experienced bowling line-up. Joel has announced himself, and he has a massive future. Just had a bit of a tight hammie, fingers crossed all will be good. It has been fantastic. Although we lost those two close games, we take a lot out of them. We are a young side, a lot to take out of this tournament for us."
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
No idea why he came in to bat after Arafat.
Don Freo
Guest
I've always wondered why Hoggy is batting so low down. His first 3 years in Shield cricket were as a top order batsman. He has the highest single innings score ever in WACA district cricket...230 something in one afternoon...and that was only 4 or 5 years ago.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Close match goin on at the mo
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Paris is a gun. Should have a great summer.
Don Freo
Guest
What about Paris? This boy is a gunna be gun. Over 140kph and swings it. 3 times in T20 he has got 2 wickets in the first over and now, as Lahore who need quick runs to qualify, can't hit him and he sends another swinging yorker onto the stumps. 3 for 8! Paris and Marsh had 6 unbowled overs between them while Arafat threw the game away the other night. They should be playing the semis. 3 for 22 off 4 after 14 in the slogging last over. The last 2 games, Arafat went for 19 and 29 in his last over.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Hes back on.Lamest Watson impression ever!!!!!
Don Freo
Guest
Arafat bowled such crap...like the last game. If Voges gave Marsh a bowl instead of Arafat, Scorchers would be in the finals. Marsh has taken him off straight away. Oh no! Marsh has just left the field with a knee injury. Bloody Geoff Marsh has crook semen!!!
Don Freo
Guest
Yasir Arafat is on for the 5th over...11 runs. Why do we bother with overseas dead wood? Nurture the Aussie kids.