WA run machine Cameron Bancroft has picked up where he left off last season with a stubborn half-century to wrest control away from Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.
After surviving a tricky examination from Scott Boland on Wednedsay night which claimed the wicket of his opening partner Sam Whiteman for five, Bancroft played patiently against Victoria’s quicks to move to an unbeaten 76 at tea on Day 2.
The 30-year-old opener, who comfortably topped the Shield run-scoring with 945 at 59.06 last season, advanced his Test claims further in a 141-run partnership with young gun Teague Wyllie (71 not out), which left WA 1-154 in reply to the Vics’ 256.
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With David Warner flagging his likely Test retirement after the New Year Test at the SCG, Bancroft is set to vie with Matt Renshaw, Marcus Harris and possibly Will Pucovski for a berth at the top of the order ahead of two Tests at home against the West Indies and a two-match tour of New Zealand beginning in late February.
Rising international spin prospect Todd Murphy struggled to have an impact on the typical WACA surface, conceding an expensive 43 runs from 11 overs as Victoria’s four quicks kept the clamps on Bancroft and Wyllie.
NSW all-rounder Jack Edwards continued his impressive start to the season with a commanding 87 to follow on from his maiden five-wicket haul on the second day of the Blues’ clash against Queensland at Sydney Olympic Park.
Edwards smacked eight fours and two sixes as he put on 132 for the seventh wicket with Hayden Kerr (65 not out) to steer NSW out of a middling position to be 7-337 at stumps with a lead of 161.
Michael Neser was the pick of the bowlers for Queensland, claiming the wickets of Edwards, Kurtis Patterson (32) and Jason Sangha (0) to finish with 3-75.
Strong individual performances from Jordan Buckingham (7-71) and Jake Lehmann (115) were not enough to prevent South Australia losing its season opener to Tasmania in Adelaide, with the Tigers cruising to a seven-wicket win on the third day of the clash.
Seamers Gabe Bell and Lawrence Neil-Smith claimed three wickets each before towering all-rounder Beau Webster – bowling medium pace rather than off-spin – cleaned up the tail with career best figures of 4-32 as SA was restricted to 157 in the second innings.
Buckingham could not fire a second time with the ball as Tasmania reached its target of 84 three wickets down.
