Cameron Bancroft is preparing for a return to first-class cricket this weekend in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash against New South Wales.
The 26-year-old has been named in a 13-man squad for the four-day match at Bankstown Oval, the seventh round of fixtures in Australia’s premier first-class competition.
Bancroft is expected to take the gloves as the ‘Warriors’ aim to improve upon their fourth place, with the top two qualifying for the final in late March.
His club side, Willetton, fell to an eight-wicket defeat in the final of the Western Australia One-Day competition against Claremont Nedlands at the WACA.
Willetton’s first innings score of 176 always looked below par & so it proved as the Tigers chased it down by seven wickets with plenty of time to spare.
Bancroft, batting at number three, scored 24 including 2x4s & 1×6 but regular wickets kept them in check, with only Aaron Hardie & Warwickshire’s Will Rhodes able to put together a sizeable partnership.
Claremont Nedlands, who were without Durham’s Cameron Steel as he returned to Emirates Riverside this week, have now won the competition for an historic fourth successive season.
Mixed international success
Ben Stokes & Mark Wood were both involved in England’s highly-impressive ODI victory over West Indies in Barbados.
Stokes was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/37 & finishing unbeaten on 20 as they completed their highest-run chase in ODI cricket & the third highest of all teams, reaching the target of 361 with eight balls to spare.
The Durham all-rounder’s final two overs were crucial in keeping the home side in check, removing Chris Gayle after the opener’s century before dismissing big-hitter Carlos Brathwaite in the 49th.
Wood’s new ball burst was impressive & he was unlucky not to have dismissed Gayle earlier with a number of close calls, but the left-hander survived to flourish later into his innings.
The two sides go head-to-head again in Barbados again today.
Stuart Poynter was again impressive, although this time ultimately in defeat as Ireland went down to Afghanistan in the first T20I at Dehradun, India.
Fresh from his heroics against Netherlands earlier in the week, Poynter & George Dockrell dug their side out of a hole to post 132/6 with an unbroken 67-run partnership.
The wicketkeeper’s 31 came off 28 balls & included three boundaries, the highlight of which was a towering six off the world’s leading T20 bowler, Rashid Khan.
The series concludes with two matches over the weekend.