Marsh repels Queensland after Western Australia’s 98-run lead

Western Australia 465 & 106 for 3 (Marsh 40*, Wildermuth 1-21) lead Queensland 367 (Clayton 85, Labuschagne 77, McDermott 68, Gannon 5-67) by 204 runs

Test hopeful Cameron Bancroft fell for a duck to cap an untimely double failure, but Western Australia batters Mitchell Marsh and Hilton Cartwright repelled a Queensland rally late on day three in the Sheffield Shield.

After gaining a 98-run lead, WA slumped to 47 for 3 in their second innings before Marsh and Cartwright combined for an unbroken 59-run partnership.

Batting at No.4 as a specialist batter, Marsh played mostly watchfully but did occasionally bludgeon the ball in trademark style. He finished 40 not out, while Cartwright was unbeaten on 19 to get WA back on track after Bancroft fell in the first over.

The leading Shield batter over the past two seasons, Bancroft has been a model of consistency. He last played Test cricket in 2019, overlooked earlier in the year after David Warner retired, and hoped to push his case for a return with allrounder Cameron Green facing a long stint on the sidelines due to a back injury.

But once again he succumbed to quick Michael Neser after nicking off in an almost identical dismissal to his golden duck in the first innings.

“It’s unfortunate timing,” WA coach Adam Voges said of Bancroft post play. “I’m sure he would have loved to have scored some runs in this game. It wasn’t to be, but he has scored a lot over the last few years.”

No.3 Jayden Goodwin, who also fell first ball in the first innings, avoided the same fate as Bancroft but on 18 slashed seamer Jack Wildermuth to gully.

Captain Sam Whiteman was unable to back up his brilliant century in the first innings after playing an uncharacteristically loose shot to edge debutant quick Tom Straker to second slip. It was the 19-year-old Straker’s maiden first-class wicket and he impressed in his five-over spell with fiery bowling.

The flurry of wickets in the back half of the day has raised the prospect of a result after the match had appeared to be headed for a dull draw.

With the surface flattening considerably since the early day one fireworks, Jack Clayton and Ben McDermott batted with relative ease in the first session against the old ball.

WA relied on offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who celebrated his 27th birthday on day one, but he was thwarted on a surface providing little assistance.

Whiteman turned to the left-arm spin of Cooper Connolly, but Clayton reverse swept to good effect as Queensland chipped away at WA’s massive first innings total of 465.

The match went through a lull until the second new ball and quickly sparked back to life when quick Cameron Gannon had Clayton caught down the leg side by diving wicketkeeper Josh Inglis for 85.

McDermott appeared to get Queensland back on track either side of lunch until falling lbw to Cartwright for 68. It sparked a collapse with Queensland losing 6 for 66 as the ball started to shoot through off divots.

Playing against his former team, Gannon left off from his impressive finish last season when he was an unexpected hero in WA’s Shield triumph. Unleashing an unnerving line and length, he was the pick of the bowlers to finish with 5 for 57 from 25.2 overs.

Recruit Brody Couch had a mixed debut for WA after crossing over from Victoria in the off-season. He was lively at times, the fastest of WA’s trio of quicks clocking at 140 kpm, and did unfurl a short-pitched barrage to liven a sedate period of play.

Couch did struggle for consistency, conceding 86 runs from 21 overs, but claimed a maiden wicket for WA when he clean bowled Wildermuth for 24.

Marsh did not bowl as expected and spent most of his time in the slips, while he also occasionally helped carry the drinks.