Despite the high stakes – top position and a place in the Sheffield Shield final – both Western Australia and New South Wales played it safe, resulting in a draw at the WACA, which many considered an anticlimactic finish.
This cautious approach was a gamble with only one round remaining in the season. Now, both teams need favorable results from other matches to qualify for the final against South Australia in Adelaide. Queensland has overtaken them, climbing to second place with 36.8 points, ahead of NSW (35.39) and WA (34.43). Victoria, with 32.49 points, still has a slim mathematical chance.
Eyebrows were raised when Western Australia, known for their conservative play in such situations, batted cautiously during the first session on the final day to set a target at a slow pace. Hilton Cartwright, achieving a first-class career-best score of 171 not out, and Sam Fanning accelerated the scoring before lunch and after, before WA declared, setting NSW a target of 281 runs in 57 overs.
NSW decided that chasing this score on a challenging pitch, where batting against the new ball had been difficult, was too risky.
‘We were aiming for a target between 250 and 300,’ Cartwright explained. ‘We knew batting becomes easier as the ball softens. We didn’t want to give them too many overs with too few runs to chase. If we had given them 70 overs to chase 250, it might have been too easy for them.’
‘We were trying to find the right balance… giving ourselves enough time to bowl them out, but also tempting them to attempt the chase. We thought they might have gone for the total more aggressively because a win would significantly improve their chances of reaching the final.’
After NSW opener Nic Maddison was dismissed in the first over, Sam Konstas and Kurtis Patterson adopted a defensive strategy, forming a 50-run partnership in 23 overs. Despite some tense moments, NSW was never in serious trouble and concluded at 130 for 4, with watchful half-centuries from Konstas and Matthew Gilkes.
‘Perhaps [we expected a declaration] a bit earlier,’ NSW captain Jack Edwards commented. ‘They batted us out of the game and earned the right to dictate terms. After losing [Maddison], we decided to shut down the chase. [Konstas] performed well, demonstrating his natural talent when he applies himself.’
The destiny of both teams is now uncertain, and they must maintain focus in their upcoming must-win matches. NSW will travel to Bellerive Oval and are favored against Tasmania, who have little to play for as their season is over.
NSW may be strengthened by the return of seam bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott and leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, who are back from the Champions Trophy.
‘I’m hoping so; having players like that return greatly increases our chances of winning that game,’ Edwards stated. ‘We are aiming to win the next match, perform to our best, and see what unfolds.’
WA’s next game is against Victoria at the WACA, where they will be fighting to keep their hopes of a historic four-peat alive. They are likely to be without fast bowler Lance Morris, who has played consecutive Shield matches for the first time in a while.
Having recovered from a stress fracture last winter and a quad strain in the pre-season, Morris is under an over restriction of around 30 overs per game. He achieved a first-class career-best of 5 for 26 from 20.3 overs in NSW’s first innings. There was speculation about how many overs he would bowl on the final day.
Morris bowled 12 overs, including a couple at the end where he delivered several searing yorkers in a last-ditch effort to produce a miracle. However, Morris could not replicate his earlier control and accuracy, finishing with 0 for 41.
Quick bowler Brody Couch is a like-for-like replacement and has had a successful Shield season since moving from Victoria, taking 21 wickets at an average of 22.85. All-rounder Cooper Connolly will be available after returning from the Champions Trophy, but Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie are likely to miss the game as they prepare for the IPL.
‘[Connolly] came by during the game and said hello; it’s always great to have him around. He will strengthen the batting lineup,’ Cartwright mentioned. ‘We must focus entirely on our own team’s performance. If things go our way in other matches, that would be great. But first, we need to take care of our own game before considering other games in the east.’
