Western Australia kept their hopes of making a sixth One-Day Cup Final in the space of seven seasons alive with a thrilling one-wicket win over Tasmania at the WACA Ground on Tuesday.
Fast Bowlers Provide A Look To The Future
They did so with three front-line fast bowlers that boasted just 42 List A wickets from 20 matches between them.
With fellow quicks Joel Paris, Matthew Kelly and Mahli Beardman unavailable for selection due to injury for the first match after the KFC BBL break, the door opened for Bryce Jackson, Brody Couch and Albert Esterhuysen to try and tame a potent Tasmanian top order.
The trio were supported by spinner Corey Rocchiccioli and allrounders Aaron Hardie and Will Malajczuk.
Jackson led the way from the very first ball of the match when he had the dangerous Mitch Owen caught by Ashton Turner at first slip, before he had fellow opener and left-hander Caleb Jewell caught behind later in the over.
The 26-year-old said he recognised the importance of starting well and leading the attack.
“We had a couple of days of planning,” Jackson said post-match.
“I was talking to the bowling coach Tim MacDonald and said ‘I’m not so worried about Mitch Owen and right-handers I do pretty well to them’.
“It’s more the lefties I start a bit wide.
“To be able to get them first ball on a wicket like that can change the game and put more pressure on the opposite team.”
While the start of the Tasmanian innings was fruitful for WA, the final 10 overs of the innings proved just as important.
After a stunning 236-run fourth wicket partnership between Beau Webster and Tim Ward, the hosts took the final seven Tasmanian wickets for just 61 runs in what proved to be a critical passage of play.
Jackson said the closing stages of the innings would give the bowling group plenty of confidence going forward.
“They batted pretty well through the middle overs and credit to them,” he said.
“It was a bit of a learning curve as a young bowling attack.
“To be able to restrict them in the last 10 overs, when it’s usually them putting us under pressure, it was a nice feeling.
“We were able to execute properly and take wickets regularly.”
The gutsy win saw WA rise to fourth on the One-Day Cup table, just 1.5 points behind second-placed Queensland.
WA faces Victoria in their final fixture of the 2025-26, which they must win and hope Tasmania and South Australia defeat New South Wales and Queensland respectively.