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Couldn't believe my luck when on Sky Sports over in little ole NZ,  all 3 Marsh Cup games were live.. Watched WA compile a very good total of 320, with Short continuing on his recent good form with the bat.

However the WA bowling initially was putrid, regardless if it was a 3rd or 4th choice attack......too short, too full, which the Tassie top 4  feasted on. Good fightback from Agar and MacDonald to get WA back in the game, though Tassie batting 2 short was a definite bonus.

As BH says, NSW have made WA their bunnies this year in both Shield and Marsh formats......definitely need Behrendorf and Hardie back, Critchell in his 2 overs was definitely nervous and struggled, so Hardie in for him. MacDonald whilst expensive picked up wickets, might be the one in the gun for Behrendorf, though Gannon could be in the gun also. Surely Paris will be considered as well....and maybe Morris might get up.....though who knows with their respective  injury histories. 

Can't see the likes of Hughes and Henriques continuing their good form v WA, both average 30 odd for a  reason....can see WA bouncing back and winning the Marsh Cup comp over in Sydney......the Big V are spewing though, posting 300 + in a 50 ver match, only to lose on the dreaded D/L....BH will be smiling that's for sure.

Freeze not sure who this MacDonald fella is you have posted above (surely Ronald hasnt quit coaching to play here as he wouldnt get a game in WA's 3rd XI in his ordinary prime)???
You might have meant Bryce Jackson, the right arm quick on debut.
As for the VICs losing, yep I certainly am smiling, they all probably still think they are the greatest sporting state in the universe though! 

Yeah Jackson is the young fella's name BH. I guess in his first spell he was bowling like Ronald did back in his prime...thus my error....thanks for the heads  up.
 

Hardie and Green back for WA which gives their batting a much more stable look and adds a few more bowling options unlike the last game when Kelly broke down and they only had 3 front line bowlers. I am surprised that D'Arcy Short didnt get a berth given his hot form at the moment but they have gone with young Goodwin which I guess you can't criticise.
WA really need to win this game to stay in the hunt with their other rivals Victoria and NSW playing each other

Topsy turvey day in Tassie on a spicy pitch. Great start by WA to have the home team 7 down by lunch, then left them off the hook somewhat to allow them to get 180. Paris surely would have played test cricket if he hadnt had so many injuries.

When WA batted, it was looking very shaky at 4-54 before Goodwin and Cartwright rescued the situation to some extent so that WA just have their noses in front going into day 2. Ideally it would be good if the current batsmen could take us past the Tassie score so that we build up a reasonable 1st innings lead with Phillipe and the bowlers to come.

Certainly a bowlers day today with 41 wickets falling over the 3 venues

Looks like Green got a beauty or a dodgy lbw to curtail his innings early. Paris if fit would be definitely playing test cricket. Good to see young Goodwin stand up with more experienced sorts didn't. Need at least a 50 run lead......big ask though.

Once again in the 2023/24 Shield season WA have let a side off the hook.
Yesterday on the last ball before tea, with Jewell still yet to score and looking very nervous he snicked one straight to first slip where Cartwright dropped a dolly, thus breaking the shackles for Jewell who then went on to flay our attack all over Bellerive Oval!
If Cartwright doesnt make at least make 150 in the 4th innings to make up for that clanger then he should be dropped!

Barring a miraculous run chase tomorrow I think WAs chances of a three peat are down the drain. This game has pretty much encapsulated the season. Some good patches but also long periods where they have allowed the other side to dominate. Surely Jewell must be considered for a test spot as he has scored a lot of runs for Tassie this year.

Tasmania have been able to consistently put the same team on the park as they have minimal national selections and appear to have avoided the injury bug to a large extent. They will likely play Victoria in the final who are tearing the blue baggers a new one in Sydney at the moment. Great to see Will Puckovski get a ton as well.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Yesterday on the last ball before tea, with Jewell still yet to score and looking very nervous he snicked one 

Yep. Probably dropped the Shield defence twice, three times in fact. People say footy is a brutal game, fmd, cricket leaves it for dead. You can't hide behind the goal post on a cricket field. Can't do a Kepler Bradley and lie on the ground. 

As the game in Tasmania heads for a predictable draw another sub plot is playing out in Sydney. Victoria are within 2 wickets of beating NSW but..... guess what? its raining and the forecast is pretty dodgy for the rest of the day. If this game is washed out, it keeps WA in with a chance of qualifying if they win their last 2 games against Queensland and Victoria. However you wouldn't think they are playing well enough at the moment to take advantage of this opportunity