Star allrounders Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie are set to return for WA’s important Marsh Sheffield Shield showdown against ladder leaders Tasmania, starting tomorrow at Blundstone Arena.
Stars return for important Shield clash
Fellow seam-bowling allrounder Keaton Critchell has also been included in the 13-player squad and will make his First Class debut if selected.
Green compiled a classy 96 against Queensland at the Gabba in November, his only Shield appearance of 2023-24 to date.
The Test No.4 averages 54.02 with the bat in 29 Shield matches for WA, including seven centuries and as many half-centuries.
Hardie returns following a stint with the national side, playing three ODIs and one T20I against the West Indies.
A central component of WA’s Shield team, his four red ball games this season have yielded 273 runs at 45.5 and 11 wickets at 21.45.
Critchell, meanwhile, struck back-to-back centuries against Tasmania’s second XI this month and has been a consistent performer while captaining Midland-Guildford.
The 27-year-old made his State debut against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena yesterday, when WA prevailed by 52 runs to secure a spot in the Marsh One-Day Cup Final.
Pace bowler Matt Kelly had surgery on his right pectoral muscle last Thursday and will miss the remainder of the domestic season. Kelly sustained the injury while bowling early on day two of the Shield match against NSW at the WACA Ground.
Promising young batters Teague Wyllie and Sam Fanning also make way from the squad.
Reigning champions WA (29.78 points) enter tomorrow’s contest ranked third on the ladder behind Tasmania (36.96) and Victoria (34) with three games remaining.
The top two teams qualify for the Shield Final which starts Thursday 21 March.
WA Marsh Sheffield Shield Squad – Game 8
Sam Whiteman – captain
Cameron Bancroft
Hilton Cartwright
Keaton Critchell
Cameron Gannon
Jayden Goodwin
Cameron Green
Aaron Hardie
Liam Haskett
Joel Paris
Josh Philippe
Corey Rocchiccioli
Charlie Stobo
IN: Keaton Critchell, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie
OUT: Sam Fanning (omitted), Matt Kelly (right pectoral), Teague Wyllie (omitted)