The history of Australian domestic limited-overs cricket: Part 6 (2017/18 to present)

After peaking in the 2000s, in recent seasons the 50-over format was relegated to a kind of pre-season carnival played on suburban grounds. Television coverage is now sporadic at best. In 2022/23 we have returned to 23 matches played throughout the season but only the bravest souls would be predicting a renaissance of the format.

WA have been the most successful limited overs side during recent times, with three titles and one runner-up finish since 2017/18, with only Victoria and NSW breaking their stranglehold once each. SA, Tasmania and QLD have each lost finals during the period.

Despite this dominance by WA, only one player from the state has ever been awarded man of the series – Shaun Marsh in 2017/18. Others to win the award during this period were Ben McDermott (TAS), Usman Khawaja (QLD), Marnus Labuschagne (QLD), David Warner (NSW), Tom Andrews (TAS) and Matt Renshaw (QLD). Every child can win a prize these days, with the award shared between two players in two out of the past three years.

Year by Year

WA took the title in 2017/18, comfortably defeating SA in the final in Hobart. Set a middling 249 for victory, half-centuries for Cameron Bancroft and Mitchell Marsh (player of the match) led to a six-wicket victory with more than six overs to spare. SA had previously eliminated Victoria, who had now finished third for three years in a row.

Player of the series and most series runs: Shaun Marsh (WA) 412. Most series wickets: Joe Mennie (SA) and Jhye Richardson (WA) 13.

In 2018/19 Victoria won only their second title since the turn of the century, and they did it in style, defeating Tasmania by 110 runs. A decent 274 scored by Victoria was way too much for the Tasmanians, with Peter Handscomb contributing a quickfire 49 and then taking four catches as keeper for Victoria. Gurinda Sandhu could consider himself unlucky to not get the player of the match after taking 7/56 in Victoria’s innings – a record for a final.

Peter Handscomb  (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

This was a weird year with all six states ‘making the finals’. Victoria finished the regular season in fourth place out of six teams, then got through their washed-out qualifying final against NSW due to a higher regular season finishing position. They then defeated the previously unbeaten minor premiers WA in their semi-final, oddly played at home in Melbourne, before getting a home final against second placed Tasmania. One might call that a leg up.

Player of the series: Ben McDermott (TAS). Most series runs: Chris Lynn (QLD) 452. Most series wickets Aaron Tye (WA) and Gurinda Sandhu (TAS) 18.

WA won in 2019/20 as the competition reverted to a straight regular season and final. In the final, the strong WA bowling attack restricted QLD to just 205, with Jhye Richardson and Nathan Coulter-Nile taking three wickets each. An unbeaten century by Shaun Marsh ensured a comfortable victory.

Players of the series: Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne (QLD). Most series runs: Daniel Hughes (NSW) 440. Most series wickets: Nathan Coulter-Nile (WA) 17.

In 2021/22 NSW won their third title of the decade trouncing WA by 102 runs in the final of a shortened five-round series. Set 251 thanks to Jack Edwards’ 108 not out, WA were overrun by a near test strength attack, with Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott and Nathan Lyon sharing the wickets, while Josh Hazlewood bowled his 10 overs for just 29 runs.

Players of the series: David Warner (NSW) and Tom Andrews (TAS). Most series runs: Peter Handscomb (VIC) 299. Most series wickets: Joel Paris (WA), Sean Abbott (NSW), Matt Kuhnemann (QLD) and Jackson Bird (TAS) all 10.

This brings us to last year, 2021/22, when WA turned the tables on NSW, defeating them by 18 runs in the final to take their third title in five years. In a game dominated by the bowlers, it was the WA tail that got them from 6/89 to a barely defendable 225 (Jhye Richardson 44). It proved to be just enough. Richardson bowled six overs for just 13 runs before breaking down, and Andrew Tye and Aaron Hardie shared seven wickets as NSW stumbled and were bowled out 16 runs short of the target.

Player of the series and most series runs: Matt Renshaw (QLD) 377. Most series wickets: Aaron Tye (WA) 15.

Matt Renshaw. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Other Stand-out performances

2017/18

Tom Cooper (SA) vs QLD in Brisbane.

Sent into bat on a tough Brisbane wicket, Cooper scored an unbeaten 115 from 107 balls to get SA to 240, with the next-highest score of just 25. This proved to be way too much with QLD dismissed for just 157 (Joe Mennie 5 wickets for 34 runs).

In a match where no other batsman from either side reached 57, NSW’s Nic Maddinson smashed 137 from 119 balls to power NSW to 316 and a 102-run win over Tasmania.

Sometimes coming in during a lost cause can really clear the mind. QLD were languishing at 5/63 after 15 overs chasing WA’s imposing 301, scored in a 41 over per side match (Michael Klinger 128). After smashing 122 from just 81 balls, including 7 sixes, Neser was run out in the final over as QLD fell just 9 runs short.

2018/19

Will Sutherland (VIC) vs QLD.

Defending just 240, Sutherland took five wickets for 35 runs to restrict QLD to 227 all out.

Daniel Sams (NSW) vs WA.

Sams did not deserve to be on the losing side in this one, scoring 62 from number eight against the WA attack of Joel Paris, Jhye Richardson, Cameron Green and Aaron Tye that bowled NSW out for 204, then reducing WA to 2/9 with the wickets of Josh Inglis and Sam Whiteman on his way to 3/46. Unfortunately, Sams had few mates and a 55 ball 70 from WA captain Ashton Turner sealed the game.

D’Arcy Short (WA) vs. QLD.

Short hit what is still the highest-ever score in the competition – 257 from 148 balls. Sure it was a small ground and flat pitch, but no other WA batsman passed 27 and Short scored 66% of the side’s 387. Andrew Tye took 6/46 in this match and nobody remembers.

Callum Ferguson (SA) vs VIC.

Ferguson scored 133 from 125 balls, with no other batsman passing 45 as SA reached 265, which was enough to win by just eight runs.

Callum Ferguson (Photo by Chris Hyde – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

2019/20

D’Arcy Short (WA) vs TAS.

Short scored 129 from 101 balls with the next best just 35, to get WA to 312, which was good enough for a 98-run win over Tasmania.

Mark Steketee (QLD) vs VIC.

With Victoria’s strong batting lineup chasing 323 on a good pitch, it was game on, but Steketee dismissed Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson with a total of just 21 before coming back to bowl Aaron Finch to take 4/25 from 10 overs and seal a massive 154 run win.

Aaron Finch (VIC) vs QLD.

Chasing QLD’s total of 305, Finch turned the chase into a procession with 14 sixes on the way to 188 not out from 151 balls and a 9-wicket victory.

Nathan Ellis (TAS) vs NSW.

NSW still had hope of a decent total at 5/159 from 29 overs, before Ellis clean bowled each of Peter Nevill, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to take 5/38 and restrict NSW to 237. Tasmania went on to a comfortable six-wicket win against the all-international NSW attack.

WA vs SA.

WA set a middling 253 target thanks to Wes Agar taking five wickets for 40 from his 10 overs. Only Cameron Green stood tall, scoring 86, with no other player reaching 45. SA fell an agonising six runs short thanks to Nathan Coulter-Nile taking 5/48 from his 10 overs. Callum Ferguson was the last man out in the 49th over, after opening the innings and scoring 127, with no one else reaching 35. Four top performances.

Jackson Bird (TAS) vs NSW.

Tasmania struggled to 251 thanks to 104 from Macalister Wright. In response Jackson Bird took 6/25 from 10 overs, dismissing five of the top seven, as NSW crashed to 131 all out.

Cameron Green (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

2020/21

Billy Stanlake (QLD) vs TAS.

In a match where no other player had an economy rate under four, big Billy Stanlake took 4/24 from 10 overs. He came on as the fourth bowler after Tasmania had put on a 50-run opening stand and dismissed each of Tasmania’s top four batsmen. Tasmania limped to 237, which was comfortably chased down by QLD.

Cameron Green (WA) and Travis Head (SA).

Green had already announced himself as an all-rounder at Sheffield Shield level, but here he scored 144 from 101 balls to power WA to 369 from their 50 overs. This proved just enough despite Travis Head clobbering 142 from just 86 balls in the chase, which fell only 13 runs short.

Jonathan Merlo (VIC) vs WA and SA.

In consecutive matches, Merlo took 5 for 71 in a lost cause against WA, including the wickets of Shaun Marsh, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie, and then smacked 101 from just 93 balls and backed up with 3/45 to win against SA.

2021/22

Josh Phillipe (WA) and Alex Carey (SA).

In the season opener, Phillipe scored a rollicking 137 from 116 balls to power WA to 352. Alex Carey then responded with a masterclass, carrying his bat for 128 not out from 106 balls, while his nine teammates collectively contributed 106 from 125 balls with a high score of 19.

Travis Head (SA) vs QLD.

Head responded next match with 230 from just 127 balls, featuring 28 fours and eight sixes, the second-highest score in the competition’s history.

NSW vs VIC.

This one is for the entire team. NSW scored 344 with each of the nine batsmen used scoring between 21 and 51. The two players who did not bat were Adam Zampa (2/44) and Tanveer Sangha (7 overs 4/21), sealing a 174-run victory.

Matt Renshaw (QLD) vs SA.

Chasing a stiff 275 for victory, the previously stodgy Matt Renshaw came in at 2/38, which immediately became 3/38 with Marnus Labuschagne run out. Renshaw hit 156 of the remaining 237 runs required in just 109 balls as the side cantered home in 42 overs.

Peter Siddle (TAS) vs VIC.

With Victoria chasing 296 for victory, Siddle turned back the clock and dismissed four of Victoria’s top five, including Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell. Siddle finished with 4/25 from 10 overs and Victoria missed the target by 139 runs.