The 2022/23 Sheffield Shield Season is nearing its climax, largely off broadway though. The Australian Men’s team has had its up and downs in India, the Women’s team took out another T20 World Cup and now the WPL has kicked off.
And so, what of the Sheffield Shield and the talent working away in relative obscurity?
The Sheffield Shield season is split in two – pre-BBL and post-BBL. What has stood out this season has been a number of players who grabbed attention during the BBL season and have managed to continue on in the return to red ball cricket.
Two clear examples are Redbacks paceman Spencer Johnson and Vic middle-order batter Matthew Short.
Johnson didn’t take the most BBL wickets or have the best average or strike rate. However, he made an impression with his nine wickets from ten games at 31.33. Subsequently, he has made his first-class debut for the Redbacks and in his two matches with the red ball has rocketed to the top of the Sheffield Shield bowling averages. 15 wickets in two games at just 13.06; highlighted by a first innings 7/47 and match figures of 9/83 in the most recent loss to Queensland.
Short was the second-highest run scorer in the 2022/23 BBL season, 458 just two behind Arron Hardie. An unbeaten century and two half-centuries, the irony being his last two bats for the Adelaide Strikers resulted in a pair of ducks – not quite the finish he would have hoped for.
One might have suspected the bubble to have burst, however upon return to red ball duties for Victoria, he has peeled off 27, 58, 70, 119 and now 104. Add to that four handy wickets at an average of 11.25 and an unbeaten 108 in a Marsh Cup One Dayer against Queensland. That’s 378 Shield Runs from five hits, averaging 75.6 – unlike some who score an unbeaten double hundred and their averages get skewed. In this case, that’s a very accurate and representative average.
What is astounding is that in the five matches and seven innings to start the season, Short only managed 101 runs without passing 50. Perhaps the BBL form indicated he was worth persevering with and perhaps the loss of Handscomb to the Test side opened a spot for him to remain. Either way, he is now often regarded as looking like he’s batting on a different wicket from everyone else.
Scoring successive Shield 100s is no mean feat given the 119 against South Australia was his maiden Shield ton. His only other first-class century was an unbeaten 134 against England in November 2017. It’s taken a while however at age 27 he looks to have found his ‘game’.
Cam Bancroft is another one who grabbed attention during the BBL, finishing third in the averages with 357 runs at 51 with four half-centuries including an unbeaten 95. Since returning to the red ball longer format he has gone okay with 27, 80, 1, 176*, 28 and 30*.
342 runs for just four outs, an average of 85.5 however skewed by the unbeaten 176 which was in a phase of batting towards a declaration so sometimes we can take these scores with a grain of salt. The first half of the Shield season for Bancroft saw six matches and ten innings returning 483 (1 not out) at 53.67. Three centuries showed a feast or famine trend.
Cameron Bancroft of the Perth Scorchers. (Photo by Will Russell – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Batting has been tough, with recent matches showing the bowlers tending to dominate. Perhaps this is the trend of another La Nina season, with more moisture in the fields and in the atmosphere. It’s no surprise then with Johnson now joining them that there are eight bowlers with ten wickets or more and season bowling averages below 20.
The most wickets taken are 40 by Michael Neser (@17.27) and 37 by Bulls teammate Mark Steketee (@18.56). Wes Agar has 35 but at the relatively expensive (tongue in cheek here) expense of 25.02 runs per wicket. Agar has recently turned 26 another latecomer to first-class cricket. Working through the bowling average leaderboard, Joshnson is 27, Steketee is 29, and Neser nearing 33. WA’s Matt Kelly is 2nd on the averages and he is 28 and New South Welshman come WA paceman Charlie Stobo turns 28 this week. Joel Paris rounds out the ‘senior’ sub-20 brigade at age 30. The two ‘young guns’ are spinner Todd Murphy and WA quick Lance Morris. Both are currently on tour in India. Morris turns 25 next month. So he’s not so green behind the ears.
The Victoria side has two interesting quicks in Fergus O’Neill and Mitch Perry. O’Neill was arguably the better performer at just 22 years old, and in seven matches into this season, he has 23 wickets at 21.95. He very much found his groove with match figures of 6/64 against the Bulls followed up with 4/22 in the One Day match; then followed by a bitter-sweet best outing in the recent win over South Australia at the Junction oval. A brilliant 4/28 in the first innings and again on fire in the second with 2/3 until he went over on his ankle midway through his fourth over.
Step up Perry who until then had been working in O’Neill’s shadow. Perry is almost a year older and turns 23 in late April. Perry debuted for the Vics in late 2020 and has now compiled 23 Shield matches. O’Neill debuted at the start of this season having played his first List-A game for the Vic in March 2022. As O’Neill was helped off, Perry who had bowled well enough for his 3/56 in the first innings was required to carry the load and the result was 5/64 off 17 and a half overs.
8/120 for the match and fast forward to Albury this week and with O’Neill perhaps not 100% it’s been Perry who produced 4/24 and 4/30 for match figures of 8/54. 16 wickets for just 174 in his last two matches in contrast to a rather modest 10 wickets from the previous five matches for 412 at 41.2
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His season stats are now far more complimentary with 26 wickets at 22.53, Perry has also performed wonderfully well in the night watchman role. Coming in at number four in last season’s shield final, he produced 74. In the recent match against Queensland, he came in at number three in the 2nd innings and top scored with 75 off 217 and recently in Albury came in at one done and got through to stumps and kicked on for 45 in a 30 over 71 run partnership with Marcus Harris.
The trio of Murphy, Perry and O’Neill – all still just 22 – are arguably some of the most exciting young talent coming through our system. And that’s without looking at the current stand-in Victorian skipper Will Sutherland who is still just 23.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
So Harris an impressive 84 before getting that legside strangle again (he's done that before........needs to not push the bat out beyond the line of his body). And Short.......just brought up another 50 and in prompt time in contrast to everyone else - - although Hardie got two hands to a fast one at gully on 47.......tough one. But it still looks like Short is batting in a different game to everyone else.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Very much so (the Vics pushing hard); and granted a dead rubber for WA - and effectively the WA 2nd's pace attack.
Rellum
Roar Guru
WA getting rolled yesterday is a bit of a turn up. We will see how the game pans out. Vics are pushing hard for that final spot so Qld better get a move along
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Very important game going on at the WACA currently. Bancroft knocked over for 24 in the first and Harris 48* over night already clearly the stand out batter of the match so far (beating a pair of 27s from Turner and Cartright). The irony is my two young Vic bowlers highlighted both went wicketless. Scott Boland returning showing his class with 4/29; and arguably the best left arm spin option in the country Holland wrapping up with 3/15. The top order was destroyed though by Will Sutherland with 3/33 taking Whiteman, Wyllie and Cartright. Sutherland since the BBL finished - now has 13 wickets for 252 at pretty well 19 1/2; and 101 runs at 20.2. Would like to see a few more runs however as referenced - - there's been many games dominated by bowlers so it's hard to get a real good read on the batting 'par'. As it was too - Mitch Perry, 12 overs, 6 maidens - none for 12. No wickets but definitely did his job. The Vics are teaming really, really well at the moment. Sadly - Chandrasinghe - whom you mentioned - has been struggling to kick on with it. He's patient. He gets a start - but finds ways of getting out. Jack Clayton has 196 from 5 outs (39.2) since the BBL finished (that he didn't feature in); the highlight of the unbeaten 87 against cellar dwellers NSW and 66 against the Vics; both 2nd innings knocks. And the young gun Wyllie - just 2 yesterday so 139 at 34.75 since the resumption. So...........presently.............I'm still kinda limiting my excitement to the Vics; and a late surge by Tassies Caleb Jewell with 98 yesterday; while his first 2 post BBL shield games only yielded 34 at 11.33; since he's had 104 in a OD and 40 & 121 vs WA in Perth and now a 98 in Hobart against QLD so his post Xmas/BBL red ball form line is now up to 293 at 48.83 so a big improvement.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Inglis - the could be a Brit.....sitting on FC batting avg of 32.88, pretty well on par with his List A and 2 above his T20 average. Post BBL - batting wise 0&43, 116 and 14 (163 @ 40.75) has been clearly highlighted by the 116. However counterbalanced by a duck. Swap that for a 30 odd and a lowest of 14 and you'd be really waving those credentials. Another guy doing great stuff is of course Aaron Hardie; and his FC credentials of batting avg of 43.52 and bowling of 30.14 from 22 matches is very encouraging - at age 24 and a bit - he's ideally improving all the time. He though missed this article too largely because of a just so so showing post BBL. 3 matches for 152 runs at 38 and 6 wickets for 154 at 25.67. One 50 (58*) and best bowling of 2/27. He's not match winning; just going about his business and there's nothing wrong with that.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
I remember watching him relatively closely in a stint with the Renegades; clearly so given the success in BBL|08. He's missed pretty well 11 months - last FC game March 23 last year and returned Feb 2023; his 2 games back he's only got 65 runs at 21.67 and 6 wickets for 141 at 23.5. Certainly match figures of 4/46 in the latest game is encouraging. However - - it's not as if his 2021/2022 was massively compelling. And at 29 1/2 again he's hard to be getting overly excited about. I'll stick to the likes of Perry and O'Neill; and in that Spencer Johnson category is the red headed lad from NSW - at age 26 he's again not so young but not too old yet - - and coming off the BBL he's had 1/62 and 4/95 in his 2 FC bowls (5/157 at 31.4) and an expensive 6/58 in the OD v Qld. However - - with a FC avg of just 39.4 from 11 games and the 2 4wI's to boast - - he's not got me nearly as excited as Perry and O'Neill.
matth
Roar Guru
He a solid Shield player, really adds a dimension for QLD
matth
Roar Guru
Inglis should definitely be on the plane as he covers keeping but is also good enough to play as a back up batsman. I’d be taking Bancroft to open and Inglis and Handscomb as back up batters (Renshaw might still get a look in too - India form is pretty specific and we will need a back up opener ). The back up bowlers to the Big 3 have to be Boland and Neser, particularly now that Richardson has gone down injured yet again. Sure take Morris for development as well. Murphy tours to learn from Lyon and that’s a pretty decent squad
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Apologies for not looking closely at the article, but yeah, the break didn't do everyone a favour. There has to be a better schedule for FC games. Inglis has been consistent all season and should be Carey's understudy in the UK.
Rellum
Roar Guru
M Short is the guys along with Morris and Murphy who have made strides this year. Short will probably get a go in white ball cricket for Aus. The real issue is the batting and outside of Bancroft and Handscomb no one has really stood out. To me Clayton, Teague Wyllie and Chandrasinghe are the guys who have shown some promise for the future if they kick on, Clayton had a good year last year and is not really kicked on but I hope next year will be big for him
Rellum
Roar Guru
Wildermuth has come back strong, bowling very well.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Chris Green is interesting - - post the BBL he's played 3 Shield games and score a half century in each - - 59*, 52&3, and 52&39*; so 195 from 3 outs; avg 65. Brilliant. However - - just 5 wickets at the cost of 185 so avg 37 so not quite so brilliant. His 2 FC matches before (debut this season v WA in Nov) - did produce 12 wickets for just 157 which is excellent but just 82 runs from 4 outs (20.5) which isn't. So............Chris Green hasn't quite nailed down the all-rounder side of things yet. And...........he's 29. So I'm sparing my enthusiasm. However nice to see him stepping into the red ball domain rather than being a white ball specialist (too many promising careers dashed by that........says me thinking C.White and G.Maxwell in particular....arguably A.Zampa.....) Manenti - I watched him in the Vic v SA game; he's interesting - still trying to work out if he's truly a FC cricketer or an over achieving district/grade cricketer. Nearing age 26 - - his got 9 FC matches for 26 wickets at 33.69 and 489 runs at 88 and a decent S/R (73.5). He still just feels a bit agricultural..........that needn't be a bad thing - - he's clearly got a competitiveness which is a virtue to be sure. Post BBL for Manenti and he's done a couple of nice things mainly with the bat - - 5 and 2/17&1/94 v WA; then 4&82 plus 1/14&1/43 vs Vics and then 88&0 and 2/71 v QLD; so those 5 hits for 179 runs (@35.8) and 7 wickets for 239 at 34.14. So..........serviceable - - I'm not getting seriously excited. Rocciochiolli - post BBL has given us 9 runs avg 3; and 8 wickets costing 301 (37.6) with only one multiple of the 4/31 vs Tassie in the most recent match. He only got so many cracks at it for the Renegades; and certainly his last Shield match BEFORE the BBL was very good with 4/31 and 4/68. However that was before the BBL. The main premise of this article was on the players coming out AFTER the BBL and sticking their hands up either in the immediate (Bancroft, arguably Short, and questionably Johnson) and intermediate future (Perry, O'Neill). And brevity meant I didn't drill on Sutherland.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
All-rounders you might have mentioned are firstly Chris Green who has 17 wickets at 20 and bats at 45 av. Or Manenti, with a great strike rate, just inferior to Inglis, and 447 runs at 37 and 21 wickets. Corey Rocciochiolli has 24- the most wickets of any spinner, half in Perth. And when discussing Bancroft, remember he is the only player with four centuries this season. He's also faced 1964 deliveries, way more than anyone else. His 22 catches is also way more than anyone else including a record-equalling five in an innings, with two of the best of the season. He should be included in the side for England.
Simoc
Roar Rookie
Certainly M Short and Johnson plus Bancroft are standouts but it is more the nonperformers that have stood out. Like Hunt, McDermott and a host of others who have been to the top or close and are not performing well enough this season. I see Sutherland like his sister as above-average state cricketers. They don't look close to test quality.