Having spent the past few nights staying up until 4-5 am (thanks, daylight saving) watching the IPL, it was great to see some first-class cricket in action.
Having sporadically watched Tasmania and South Australia lose to Queensland and Western Australia respectively, here’s my Shield XI of round one.
Bryce Street (Queensland)
To see a young opener grind out an innings and take the shine off the new ball is so refreshing to see. Batting the Tasmanian seam attack into boredom, Street gritted his way to a patient half-century.
Although he failed to convert his half-century into a substantial century, Street blunted the new ball and allowed the Queensland middle and lower-order to free their arms.
Jake Weatherald (South Australia)
One of the few bright spots in South Australia’s defeat against Western Australia, Weatherald can hold his head high. In the first innings, the left-hander counter-attacked en-route to his seventh first-class hundred.
In South Australia’s second innings, Weatherald fought hard for a plucky 36 before being dismissed by Ashton Agar.
Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)
Who else but the man dubbed loose bus change? Marnus’ meteoritic rise in first-class and Test cricket since August 2019 continued with a classy 167. Sure, he may have been dropped a few chances, but he hurt the Tasmanians by scoring a big hundred.
If Labuschagne keeps this form until the India Test series, Mohammad Shami and company will find a tough nut they’ll have to crack at three.
Shaun Marsh (Western Australia/captain)
While the Western Australian skipper couldn’t convert his start in the first innings, Shaun Marsh ensured he wouldn’t miss out in the second innings. Smashing the South Australian attack all over Karen Rolton Oval, Marsh scored 110 not out at a strike rate a shade under 100.
Leading from the front as Western Australia skipper, there was no other choice when choosing the captain in the XI.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Cameron Green (Western Australia)
Every time I watch Green bat, he very rarely lets me down in the Sheffield Shield. Batting at 4 for Western Australia, Green scored a patient 56 in the first innings before scoring a quickfire 11 not out in the second innings. The sky is the limit for Green, and many will be hoping he can resume his bowling once 100 per cent fit.
Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
In what was arguably the best first-class game of his career, Ashton Agar had an immense impact between West Australia and South Australia. Batting at six, the left-hander smashed his third first-class ton and didn’t show mercy against the hapless South Australian bowlers.
With the ball, Agar took his sixth 5-fer in FC cricket before taking 1-46 in the second innings.
Josh Inglis (Western Australia/wicketkeeper)
Smashing 153 not out and five scalps behind the stumps, there was no question with Inglis’ inclusion in the XI. Once Tim Paine calls it quits in Test cricket, Australia will have a quality gloveman in Inglis to replace Paine.
Michael Neser (Queensland)
It’ll be incredibly harsh on Michael Neser if he never gets a chance to play Test cricket in his career. How he didn’t play at the Oval in a dead rubber last year still baffles me.
Immensely accurate with the ball, Neser took five wickets in the first innings before scoring his maiden FC hundred. While wicketless with the ball in the second innings, 0-30 after 20 overs shows Neser did a great job playing the holding role.
Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)
Swepson was outstanding for Queensland against Tasmania. With figures of 2-68 after 27 overs, Swepson showed great control in Tasmania’s first innings. In the Tigers second innings, Swepson’s figures of 4-66 after 45.2 overs ensured Queensland won by an innings and 59 runs.
While it’s only one game into the Shield season, it’s great to see Agar and Swepson get some wickets. With more consistent performances in the future for the sake of Australian cricket, the Aussie selectors will hope that Nathan Lyon’s understudy is coming sooner rather than later.
Cameron Gannon (Western Australia)
In his first game for Western Australia, Cameron Gannon continued off his great Shield form that he produced for the Queenslanders last season. Showing great control, Gannon picked up five wickets for the Western Australians at an average of 20.3, a strike rate of 54 and economy of 2.29.
Xavier Bartlett (Queensland)
Had it not been for the incredible feats of Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett would’ve got his deserved plaudits for his performance vs Tasmania. Although slightly expensive with 4-58 after 15.3 overs in his first innings, Bartlett’s performance in the second innings was even better: 3/38 after 20 overs with eight maidens.
The real test comes for Bartlett now: can he replicate these performances consistently this season?
12th man: Llyod Pope (South Australia)
While taking a five-fer is no easy feat, going at over six an over isn’t acceptable in FC cricket. Thus, Swepson got the nod over Pope in the XI.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think Carey is far from a lock in the longer form. His keeping has weaknesses, and batting his overall record isn't that great, though that is largely because he was pretty ordinary earlier in his career, his last couple of seasons have been pretty good. If Paine got injured and didn't play the first test of the summer against India, I think Carey would likely be the next man in. However, the longer Paine plays, the more it gives other players a chance. This was Inglis maiden first class hundred though. It's not like he's been piling on the runs continually. So it's probably a bit early to consider him having leapfrogged Carey yet. But with only one player playing as a keeper in any one game, and only six Shield sides, the options are certainly limited. Once you remove Paine, Carey and Nevill (who is the same age as Paine!) you only have 3 full-time keeping options. Inglis, Gotch and Peirson. Peirson is not really in the conversation at all. I was thinking Gotch wasn't either, but just checked and he's actually got the best first class batting average of all these keeping contenders. Really hard to judge their keeping against each other without just watching a massive amoung of first class cricket, as there aren't really any useful keeping stats that help to know which is the better keeper. Of course there are also plenty of other players who can keep but don't get the chance to because of the one keeper per team. WA and TAS both play 3 keepers regularly. Tas sometimes would have four in the team at once (Paine, Wade, Doran and McDermott have all kept for Tas in the Sheffield Shield at some point). While for WA they have Inglis, Whiteman and Bancroft. Many thought Whiteman was going to be the next test keeper for ages until he had major injury problems, and now he's just playing as a specialist batsman. But it's hard to really consider a keeper who's not actually keeping at first class level (though I suppose Paine was picked despite having played as a batsman because of Wade's presence in the Tasmanian side. But he was still always known firstly as a really good keeper).
Ace
Roar Rookie
Fair point. Put another way..I like a sheet anchor at one end. With the proviso he can accelerate
Paul
Roar Guru
I agree with the proviso the batsman has the game to up the run rate where circumstances dictate that's what's required. If the opener you're talking about, is batting on a road against say Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, scoring that slowly doesn't help the team.
Ace
Roar Rookie
I'll say it again. I like Bancroft and feel it would be a great bonus if he could lock down that other uncertain opening spot. people like Burns tease too much. Just when they should be dropped they get a score. But they are not consistent. If someone like Bancroft was there for ages holding down one end it would take the pressure off the following batters. I'd take 50 runs of a 150 balls with an opener every time.
Paul
Roar Guru
not real sure how you came to that conclusion Arnab. Street batted on day 2 when the pitch had well and truly settled down. He never accelerated in his innings and going at under 30 runs per hundred balls is way too slow on that ppitch, IMO. I agree it's great he stuck it out, but he needs to build an innings, not get stuck in a rut.
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
Considering Siddle played, I felt we would've been better off giving Neser a debut cap. Cummins was tired by the end of the series but played as well which was surprising to me
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
I did think of Bancroft. But I felt the wicket in the Tasmania QLD game had more for the bowlers compared to the road in the SA WA game. Add to the fact that Bancroft faced a hapless SA attack compared to the Tassie attack who had more venom.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'd have Cameron Bancroft ahead of Bryce Street for sure. I thought he looked terrific in both innings and did just as good a job as Street in taking the shine off the ball. More to the point, he did that in both innings and still went at 50 runs per hundred balls. The other guys pretty much pick themselves with some very good performances.
Micko
Roar Rookie
The Oval Test wasn't a dead rubber: Australia still haven't won an Ashes series in England since 2001 because of that loss. That's five tours now without a series victory in England.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I think it's been naturally assumed by a lot of people that Alex Carey is the Test keeper in waiting, but yourself and a few others I've heard seem to be talking up Josh Inglis. It'll be interesting to see which way the selectors go when the time comes.