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Opinion
The year is 1933. The world is in the grips of the Great Depression, and many are wondering how the world is going to break out of its funk.
It was also the year that Western Australia saw the light, so to speak, and voted ‘yes’ in a referendum asking whether they were in favour of seceding from the newly federated nation of Australia.
Obviously they didn’t happen in the end, and the state’s various grievances were eventually tended to
But imagine for a second if they did.
Fast-forward to today, and imagine that instead of playing the Windies to start the summer, the Aussies played the WACAs instead.
Before all of you east coast boffins scoff at me, let’s play this idea out. Let’s say the Aussies came on tour for one Test at Optus and one test at the WACA. The pitch at both turns out to be quick and bouncy. The stage is set.
Let’s play this one at the WACA, just for old-time’s sake.
The Aussies win the toss and put the opposition in. Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft have proven themselves as a wonderful opening pair capable of batting long and seeing off the best. Both have made runs against the big three before.
(Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
At No. 3 the WACAs would have batting talent in Teague Wyllie, a young man who made his first hundred against an attack that included Nathan Lyon.
After the top three had made the big three and the spinner work hard for their wickets, imagine the middle order the WACAs could roll out. Cam Green at four – remember, he plays for us – Mitch Marsh at five, Aaron Hardie at six and then Josh Inglis at seven. It may not be Bazball, but it’s a list that would make the Aussies work hard and make sure it was game on.
For sake of argument let’s say the WACAs bat first and get 350 by early on the second morning. Now the Aussies have to bat.
On a fast and bouncy wicket, in comes Dave Warner and Usman Khawaja. Then the WACAs roll out Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris. The raw pace becomes too much for the two as their age starts to show. Morris bounces Steve Smith out and quickly the Aussies are three down for not that many looking to consolidate.
They would consolidate of course, but the move to Ashton Agar from one end and rotating the other six – that’s right, six – genuine fast to fast-mediums from the other for a while keeps the pressure up. Marnus Labuschagne gets a few, but Travis Head gets done by the moving ball. Henry Hunt at six gets done by Green’s bounce and we’re into the tail.
Marnus gets done by a Lance Morris 150-kilometre swinger to leave Alex Carey to bat with the tail. They fight and they scrap against what is a quality attack, but they fall about 80 runs short, by lunchtime on Day 3.
In the second innings the big three try their best to put their foot down. It’s enthralling cricket as Whiteman and Bancroft again get in behind it and fight it out. But after seeing off the new ball into the last session, Nathan Lyon uses the breeze and the bounce to get Whiteman and Wyllie in quick succession. It’s a tough last hour, but the WACAs get themselves to stumps just two down and also about 230 in front. It’s simply great cricket!
On Day 4 the doctor is in early. Wickets start to fall consistently. The big three get the ball swinging with the help of the doc and get Bancroft, Marsh and Hardie quickly. Green and Inglis counterattack for a bit, but then Inglis gets done by the Goat.
On a wicket that is starting to show some signs of wear, and with the help of a classy hundred from Green, the WACAs set the Aussie 375 to win in just over four sessions. Joel Paris knocks over Warner with a Stuart Broad-esque beauty early on and the Aussies are on the back foot. Marnus and Ussie show their class and fight it out though, and apart from Hardie getting one to jag off a crack and get Ussie right on stumps, the Aussies are in a good spot.
On Day 5 the Aussies are two down and need 250 to win. The WACAs need eight wickets. It’s gripping cricket. The WACA cracks are starting to show and have a bit of an influence. The quicks keep beating the bat and Agar ties up an end. Wickets fall but the Aussies keep scoring.
The end result isn’t the point. The point is really something else entirely.
The point is: right now, at the moment, how good is WA cricket?
Maybe we should have seceded.
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