Cricket

Western Australia (WA) has extended its lead over Victoria (VIC) in a thrilling Sheffield Shield encounter at Junction Oval. After dismissing VIC for a paltry 144, WA's top-order faltered, but Cameron Bancroft and Josh Inglis steadied the ship with a 75-run partnership.WA's seamers, led by Cameron Gannon and Joel Paris, exploited the green-tinged surface to dismantle VIC's batting lineup. Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, and Peter Handscomb fell cheaply, leaving Mitchell Perry and Matthew Short to rebuild.Short counterattacked with a quickfire half-century, but his dismissal triggered a collapse. Will Sutherland and Perry departed in quick succession, and VIC's lower order offered little resistance. Gannon and Haskett shared eight wickets, highlighting WA's depth in the absence of injured quicks Jhye Richardson, Lance Morris, and Matt Kelly.VIC fought back in WA's second innings, with Fergus O'Neill dismissing Sam Whiteman, Jayden Goodwin, and Hilton Cartwright in quick succession. Aaron Hardie also fell cheaply, but Inglis counterpunched with a belligerent 45.However, Todd Murphy provided a late twist, dismissing Inglis and Charlie Stobo to leave WA on 119 for 6. Bancroft remained unbeaten on 42, stretching WA's lead to 219 runs.With Tasmania already securing a place in the final, WA can leapfrog them with a victory and clinch a home final starting on March 21. VIC, on the other hand, need a draw to qualify. The match is poised for a thrilling finish as both teams battle for a spot in the decider.

Queensland's Rain-Soaked Resistance Thwarts New South Wales' Sheffield Shield HopesBrisbane's relentless rain has cast a shadow over New South Wales' already slim chances of reaching the Sheffield Shield final. The fourth-placed Blues, in order to secure a spot in next week's decider, must convincingly defeat Queensland and accumulate bonus points. However, the inclement weather at Allan Border Field has severely hampered their progress.On Monday, only 12 overs were possible, dealing a significant blow to NSW's hopes of forcing a result. Quick bowler Chris Tremain emerged as the standout performer for the visitors, claiming two early wickets to reduce Queensland to 3 for 2. Opener Angus Lovell was caught in the slips, while Jack Clayton was adjudged leg before wicket, both without scoring.The rain then took hold, forcing a lengthy delay of over six hours. Play resumed briefly for less than two overs before another downpour halted proceedings. The persistent rain has left NSW with an uphill battle to achieve their target.To qualify for the final, NSW must not only defeat Queensland but also rely on Western Australia to draw their match against Victoria in Melbourne. Additionally, they need Victoria to limit their bonus point accumulation.Queensland, currently languishing at the bottom of the ladder, has shown resilience in the face of adversity. Despite their struggles throughout the season, they have put up a spirited fight against NSW, making the most of the rain-affected conditions.As the weather forecast remains uncertain, the fate of the Sheffield Shield final hangs in the balance. NSW's hopes are fading with each passing hour, while Queensland's chances of causing an upset are growing.

Nathan McSweeney's masterful century propelled South Australia to a competitive total of 271 against ladder-leading Tasmania on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at Blundstone Arena.McSweeney, a player on the radar of national selectors, anchored the Redbacks' innings with a gritty 117 from 174 deliveries. Despite being dropped early on, he seized the opportunity to punish the Tasmanian bowlers, particularly after the Redbacks found themselves in a precarious position at 195 for 8.McSweeney's partnership with Brendan Doggett, who contributed just one run, proved crucial in rescuing South Australia from the brink. The 25-year-old reached his fifth Shield century with a boundary off Beau Webster, showcasing his resilience and determination.Tasmania's bowlers, led by Nathan McAndrew, made early inroads into the Redbacks' batting lineup. McAndrew's three wickets, including the dismissals of Jake Weatherald and Henry Hunt, left South Australia reeling at 27 for 3.In reply, Tasmania's openers, Matthew Wade and Gabe Bell, managed to weather the storm and remain unbeaten at stumps. However, the hosts still trail by a significant 244 runs, putting them on the back foot heading into day two.South Australia, currently fifth on the ladder, may not be in contention for the Shield final, but a victory could deny Tasmania the chance to host the decider next week. The Redbacks will be looking to build on McSweeney's heroics and continue their momentum, while Tasmania will need to find a way to contain the South Australian batsmen and make inroads into their batting lineup.

Tanveer Sangha, the promising Australian spinner, remains steadfast in his aspiration to become a three-format bowler for his country. Despite having played more white-ball matches for Australia than red-ball matches at first-class level, Sangha believes that red-ball cricket can still be a priority for him.Sangha is set to make his first Sheffield Shield appearance in almost two years when he turns out for New South Wales against Queensland on Monday. The legspinner has been sidelined from Shield action due to overseas commitments and injuries.Despite his limited red-ball experience, Sangha is confident that he can still achieve his goal of adding a Baggy Green to his limited-overs playing caps. "I definitely think all three formats is definitely up for play," Sangha said. "There's plenty of time still. Everyone says I'm young. I'm 22. You're not going to peak until late 20s."Sangha acknowledges the challenges of being a multi-format bowler, but he is determined to find a balance that allows him to maintain his skills in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. "It's the most difficult skill in cricket. I'm still learning, trying to pull leggies, wrong'uns, toppies, sliders and executing all these different variations. I'm just trying to think long term rather than short. It's a long career if I do make it and I do get through all of it."Sangha is aware of the impact that white-ball cricket has had on Test hopefuls, with players like Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell having limited opportunities in the Shield in recent seasons. However, he is determined to find a way to maintain his red-ball skills while on white-ball tours."That's what I'm learning now while I was away," Sangha said. "What can I still do while on a white-ball tour to make sure I'm maintaining my red ball-skills, shapes and bowling style?"For now, Sangha is focused on his upcoming Shield match and the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean later this year. He believes that his red-ball experience will benefit his white-ball cricket, as it will allow him to develop his skills in planning and executing dismissals.

Western Australia's hopes of reaching the Sheffield Shield final have been boosted by the return of allrounder Aaron Hardie, who has been cleared to play in the crucial clash against Victoria in Melbourne from Monday.Hardie, who has been sidelined with a minor calf injury since facing Tasmania in Hobart in mid-February, has been passed fit and will bolster WA's lineup for the winner-takes-all match. The winner of the Victoria-WA clash will face Tasmania in the final.Ashton Agar has also been included in WA's squad as they cover all bases for the conditions they could face at Junction Oval. If Agar plays, it would be his first first-class match since the SCG Test against South Africa early last year.Agar has slipped down WA's red-ball pecking order behind offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who has been one of their standout bowlers this season with 37 wickets at 30.21. Agar has also fallen down Australia's white-ball hierarchy after being ruled out of the ODI World Cup through injury.Victoria have been boosted by the availability of Scott Boland, who has been released from Australia's Test squad in New Zealand. Boland has made five appearances for Victoria this season, taking 26 wickets at 16.50.There remains a slim chance that WA could still host the Shield final in Perth if Tasmania lose to South Australia and don't gain 0.14 more first-innings bonus points than them.In the Sheffield Shield, teams get six points for an outright win, one point for a draw, plus 0.01 of a bonus point for every run over 200 they score during the first 100 overs of their first innings and 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket a team takes during the first 100 overs of their opponent's first innings.If Victoria-Western Australia finished in a draw, there is an outside possibility of New South Wales sneaking into the final, although they would need a huge amount of bonus points against Queensland.

Matthew Wade, the Australian wicketkeeper-batter, will miss the Gujarat Titans' (GT) opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to participate in the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania. The Sheffield Shield final will be held from March 21st to 25th, coinciding with GT's first game against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 25th.Wade's presence for GT's second match against Chennai Super Kings on March 27th is uncertain, while his availability for their third game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 31st is also in doubt.Tasmania head coach Jeff Vaughan confirmed that Wade has received permission from GT to play in the Sheffield Shield final. "He's spoken with his IPL franchise and they're happy to allow him to stay here, which probably equates to him potentially missing their first game," Vaughan said.Wade, who spent 10 years with Victoria, returned to Tasmania in the 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season and was part of the team that lost the final to Queensland.GT will enter IPL 2024 without Hardik Pandya, who has rejoined Mumbai Indians as captain. Shubman Gill will lead the Gujarat Titans in Pandya's absence.

Western Australia (WA) secured a crucial 146-run victory over Queensland at the WACA, propelling them to second place on the Sheffield Shield ladder with one round remaining.After dismissing Queensland for 170 in their first innings, WA set a target of 307 for victory. Queensland resumed day four at 56 for 1, but WA's bowlers, led by Corey Rocchiccioli and Cameron Gannon, made early inroads.Jack Wildermuth and Ben McDermott provided resistance for Queensland, scoring half-centuries. However, Rocchiccioli and Gannon combined for seven wickets, with Rocchiccioli claiming 4-109 and Gannon taking 3-49.WA's victory has set up a semi-final clash with Victoria, who lost to Tasmania in a thrilling encounter. The match will be played at the Junction Oval from March 11.WA may consider changes to their lineup, with allrounder Aaron Hardie potentially returning from injury. Experienced quick Joel Paris could be rested, opening the door for Ashton Agar to make his first Shield appearance of the season.Agar and Rocchiccioli have never played together for WA but are close friends and club cricket teammates. Rocchiccioli expressed his excitement at the prospect of playing alongside Agar.Queensland, who were out of contention for the final, showed resilience in their second innings. Angus Lovell and Jack Clayton dug in late on day three, but WA's bowlers seized control on day four.Jimmy Peirson was bowled by Rocchiccioli, but Wildermuth and Xavier Bartlett combined for a half-century partnership. Wildermuth eventually fell for 91, edging Rocchiccioli to slip.The match marked the final day of Australian cricket for retiring umpires Paul Wilson and Bruce Oxenford, who received a guard of honor from the teams and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Cameron Green's impressive performance in the Wellington Test, where he scored a match-winning 174 not out, has prompted Australian selectors to prioritize his red-ball preparation ahead of the upcoming home summer. Despite being in contention for the T20 World Cup, Green was left out of the T20I series against New Zealand to play Sheffield Shield cricket.This decision paid off as Green scored an unbeaten 103 for Western Australia against Tasmania, helping his team secure a draw. Green himself credited this preparation for his stunning century in Wellington, where he was the only player to score more than 71 on a challenging batting surface.With no Tests scheduled until the Border-Gavaskar series against India in late November, Australia will tour England for ODIs and T20Is in September and host Pakistan for similar matches in November. Green is expected to be a regular in both ODI and T20I sides, but coach Andrew McDonald emphasized the importance of prioritizing his red-ball preparation."The next stress point on that's going to be next summer leading into the Indian Test series," McDonald said. "I think it'll be a conversation where he's at. I'd like to probably err on the side of preparing him through red-ball. We know how good a white-ball player he is."McDonald acknowledged that not all multiformat players require the same preparation, but he believes Green would benefit from playing Shield games before the first Test against India."I think with the results he's had out there, he'll probably come to us and say can you give us a couple of Shield games before the first Test against India," McDonald said.McDonald also highlighted the importance of Shield cricket for other players, emphasizing that individual needs will be considered."We'll use Shield cricket to get ready for the Test summer on an individual's needs basis," McDonald said. "There won't be any [prescription that] this is what we're doing with every player."New Zealand coach Gary Stead expressed his desire for his players to play more first-class cricket before Test matches."I would love as national coach to see us play some Plunkett Shield prior to going into Test matches and certainly it's something that is high on my agenda to try and get New Zealand Cricket to keep thinking about the structure of our season," Stead said.McDonald praised Green's performance at No.4, where he was recalled against West Indies."We think he can be a long-term option there and I think this is a big step towards that," McDonald said. "The conversations are always that he's obviously a quality player and probably the statistics that everyone was looking at early on in his career probably didn't reflect the player that's in front of us."

Tasmania's Sheffield Shield title hopes received a major boost as they secured a thrilling 57-run victory over Victoria in Hobart. The win puts them in prime position to host the final for the first time in six years.Tasmania's triumph was built on a brilliant second-innings performance, with Beau Webster's unbeaten 167 proving pivotal. The allrounder's knock helped the hosts post a formidable 307, setting Victoria a challenging target of 442.Victoria's chase got off to a promising start, with Marcus Harris (76) and Peter Handscomb (71) putting on a century partnership. However, Tasmania's bowlers fought back, with Gabe Bell (4-21) and Iain Carlisle (4-58) leading the charge.The visitors suffered a crucial collapse on Sunday, losing four wickets for just 25 runs. This proved to be the turning point of the match, as Victoria's hopes of chasing down the total evaporated.Bell's dismissal of Victoria captain Will Sutherland in the first over of the final day set the tone for the morning session. Carlisle then wrapped up the match by removing Peter Siddle, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Tasmanian players.Webster's match-winning innings was a testament to his resilience and skill. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form throughout the season and his latest performance has further enhanced his reputation as one of Australia's most promising young batsmen.Tasmania's victory sets up an intriguing final-round clash with South Australia. A win or draw against the Redbacks will secure their place in the decider, while even a defeat could potentially see them through.Victoria's hopes of reaching the final are still alive, but they will need to overcome Western Australia in their final match. However, they will be without Will Pucovski, who suffered his 12th concussion after being hit on the helmet on Sunday.