TOPIC:

Given WA's lack of success in the Sheffield Shield over the past 20 years, what do posters think are the reasons for our lack of success?

Personally I think it can be traced back to the selection of captain and vice-captain of "Bill and Ben" instead of Tom Moody as captain.

In the 1970's+80''s+90's we punched well above our weight with our small population. Players like Dennis Lillee played as hard for Wa as they did for Australia. The Waca in that 3 decades was the best cricket wicket in the world.For every registered player in Wa.There is at least 4 registered players in Vic+Nsw.
Is the Scorchers\Bigbash going to bring our next generation of Wa stars.Into all forms of cricket.Amongst young male athlete's Afl v Cricket is now a 50\50 thing.Such is the impact of T20 Cricket.

There is a lot more competition now to identify, and sign up, good athletes.

Young people have a choice, besides (basically) footy and cricket, and they can make money outside those sports if they have the necessary physical and mental attributes to progress.

I use my grand-daughter as an example. She is 14 years old, 185cm tall, and powerfully built. She has been a star in netball for several years, and about 12 months ago started in the female AFL program at Subi Oval (which I don't like, as her immature body is not ready for the rigors of a strong contact sport - several injuries have demonstrated that).

Just recently, she has been identified (at Fremantle netball) by someone in the state rowing program, and invited to trial - which she is going to do. She has also been invited to play basketball, which she will also suss out.

So options aplenty - and they don't necessarily need to be in a like sport eg bat and ball in the case of cricket.

I think its a combination of a number of issues including personalities,politics, culture in the team on occasions. At one stage I remember there was not a lot of love between the Grade cricket teams and the State set up. Perhaps some poor choices of selectors and coaches that drove a number of good players away from the state. Generally there seems to have been almost an acceptance of mediocrity in the Shield while the Scorchers have prospered in the BBL.

Not necessarily in this order:

1 Politics at the WACA -- I don't remember any other state losing its captain
2 improved batting by the other states at the WACA
3 all our good sides had 'professionals' from outside the state--Klinger -- is the most recent
4 the talent identification system is ridiculous -- unless they play for their off-stump they should not bat in the top
order
5 inertia -- no one speaks of the twenty years drought and nobody is moved on because they are all on good contracts.

I think we have today seen a classic microcosm of the muddled thinking that has plauged the Warriors for many years AR. Giving Ashton Agar "a rest" when he has played virtually no cricket for the past 6 weeks is madness, especially when his decision leaves them without a recognised spinner on an eastern states wicket.

Also as BH has pointed out choosing guys like Wells, Cartwright and Turner even though they are consistently failing, instead of blooding some new young guys who are performing well. The most obvious example is Phillipe but there are others who deserve opportunities

mikeh wrote: I think we have today seen a classic microcosm of the muddled thinking that has plauged the Warriors for many years AR. Giving Ashton Agar "a rest" when he has played virtually no cricket for the past 6 weeks is madness, especially when his decision leaves them without a recognised spinner on an eastern states wicket.

Also as BH has pointed out choosing guys like Wells, Cartwright and Turner even though they are consistently failing, instead of blooding some new young guys who are performing well. The most obvious example is Phillipe but there are others who deserve opportunities

mikeh I might be cynical but is it purely coincidental that the WACA would make a lot of money from the Big Bash and probably nothing from the Sheffield Shield?

I was stunned when I heard today that Agar had been rested, rested from what? Season hasn't even started, if he is injured then he is injured. If you don't think he is in the best 11 then say that, but rested? Jeez, who are these blokes.

I guess Agar needed the rest because he has a busy Scorchers schedule ahead of him....bowling 4 overs and facing a max of 25 deliveries obviously is gonna fatigue the guy.....sums up the priority in cricket in Aust at present.....and that I think came from the current WA coaches mouth....sad if true......why not "rest" the likes of Turner and Cartwright too then Adam?.....pretty sure those two boys have just a busy month or so in the BB coming up too!

Cartwright certainly deserves a rest, fair dinkum after all the time that he has spent in the middle he must be near on exhausted.
Some of these blokes are going to need extra work, not less if they are to be match fit.