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Western Australia's trophy surge continues with back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles

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Published in Cricket
Sunday, 26 March 2023 02:30

Western Australia 315 (Turner 128, Sutherland 5-75) and 1 for 93 beat Victoria 195 (Chandrasinghe 46*, Morris 3-53) and 210 (Sutherland 83, Handscomb 52, Kelly 4-41, Paris 3-55) by nine wickets

Western Australia cemented their status as domestic cricket's undisputed powerhouse with a crushing nine-wicket victory over Victoria to emphatically complete a back-to-back Sheffield Shield triumph.

Having bowled out Victoria for 210 in their second innings, WA chased down the 91-run target in the second session on day four. Their 17th Shield title was secured when opener Cameron Bancroft, the leading run-scorer in the competition, hit the winning runs to trigger scenes of jubilation around the WACA.
As expected against a strong Victoria attack, WA were made to work and lost skipper Sam Whiteman for his seventh duck of the Shield season when he was trapped lbw to unrelenting seamer Scott Boland.
It was Boland's 300th Shield wicket and he almost added another when he caught an edge from teenager Teague Wyllie only for skipper Peter Handscomb to drop a tough chance at second slip.

But WA were not to be denied as they completed a historic treble of domestic titles for the second straight season. They thrashed South Australia in the 50-over Marsh Cup final and Perth Scorchers overcame Brisbane Heat in an epic BBL decider.

WA's revelry was held up by impressive allrounder Will Sutherland, who superly backed his attacking instincts with 83 off 84 balls but Victoria's lead just wasn't enough.

Victoria started day four at 6 for 122 with their slim hopes resting on Sutherland and Mitchell Perry, who had both defied WA late on day three.

Sutherland was almost caught at long on in the first over but settled in after that in a gutsy performance having been moved down to No.8 due to a back injury.

The batters looked comfortable until Perry was caught behind off quick Matthew Kelly, who was on a hat-trick after a cracker of a delivery knocked over Fergus O'Neill.

The end was nigh but Sutherland received support from Todd Murphy, who offered resistance having had little impact with the ball in his return from a breakout Test tour of India.

As Victoria's lead approached triple figures, Murphy's defiance ended on 26 when he was caught at point off allrounder Aaron Hardie.

Sutherland, who claimed five wickets in WA's first innings, holed out just shy of a deserved century but capped a strong allround season and looms as a player of interest for the national selectors.

After being sent in on a green-tinged surface, Victoria managed just 195 in their first innings with 21-year-old opener Ashley Chandrasinghe mustering the only substantial fight.

In a rearguard that polarised public opinion, Chandrasinghe carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 46 from 280 balls but Victoria failed to collect any bonus points.

WA struggled in response at 4 for 53 before veteran Ashton Turner scored a drought-breaking century to power his team to 315 and a lead of 120 runs.

Having only recently returned to WA's Shield side after a near three-year exile, Turner counterpunched to notch his first Shield ton since November 2017.

Turner's heroics dented Victoria's hopes of avenging last season's final where they fell short to WA in a drawn match decided by bonus points.

Victoria can take heart out of a spectacular turnaround after they were staring down the barrel mid-season before storming into the final with five straight wins.

An emerging Victoria, marked by an exciting pace attack, are on the cusp of a formidable run but will be left pondering how they can knock off all-conquering WA, who are firmly amid a golden era.

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