WA Coach Adam Voges Commits to Experience After Crushing Sheffield Shield Defeat
Western Australia coach Adam Voges has declared his team will not abandon experienced players in favor of youth development following a heavy 353-run loss to Victoria in the Sheffield Shield. The defeat, sealed by a masterclass performance from veteran seamer Scott Boland, leaves WA with slim hopes in the competition and facing the prospect of finishing bottom for a second consecutive season.
Boland's Brilliance Seals Dominant Victory
Any faint chance WA had of batting out 96 overs to save the match at the WACA Ground was swiftly extinguished by Boland, who produced a world-class display. In his first competitive outing since the Ashes, the veteran claimed eight wickets across the match, including a devastating 6-22 in the second innings as WA collapsed to 114 all out.
Boland's fourth-day spell proved particularly destructive, accounting for WA captain Sam Whiteman (9), Cam Bancroft (12), and Teague Wyllie (9) in quick succession. This performance backed up his two wickets in the first innings and ensured Victoria's position as ladder-leaders remained unchallenged.
Voges Defends Team Balance Amid Struggles
With just one win from their Shield campaign and no possibility of reaching the final, WA now need victories in both remaining matches to avoid finishing last. Despite this, Voges insisted the team's experienced players would not be discarded to blood more youth.
"I don't know if we're going much younger than what we are at the moment, to be honest," Voges said. "People talk about youth, but if you look at those three young guys - Sam Fanning, Jayden Goodwin, and Teague Wyllie - plus Joel Curtis hasn't played much cricket, and Kade Povey's making his debut... we're pretty young already."
The coach emphasized the need for balance, stating: "We've just got to find that balance of getting experience and opportunities for some guys and equally being competitive, because we weren't competitive this week. That's all we've got to reflect on."
Fanning Emerges as Silver Lining
One positive for WA came from Sam Fanning's promotion to open the batting, where the left-hander compiled his highest first-class score of 99 in the first innings. This move broke up the prolific opening partnership of Whiteman and Bancroft, with the captain shifting to No.4 to bolster the middle order amid injuries to Hilton Cartwright and Aaron Hardie.
Voges explained the tactical adjustment: "It just meant we were very young with our batting line-up in particular, so we felt that moving Sam Whiteman down to four was a way of trying to spread that experience throughout the group. It gave Sam Fanning an opportunity at the top - he's an opener by nature, and it was great to see him take that opportunity."
Match Concludes Before Lunch
WA resumed the final day at 2-26, needing 442 runs to win, but quickly sank deeper into trouble. Whiteman fell lbw to the third delivery, Bancroft edged behind shortly after, and Wyllie succumbed to Boland's relentless pressure. When debutant Kade Povey departed without scoring, an early finish looked inevitable.
Wicketkeeper Joel Curtis provided some resistance with 59 before becoming Boland's final victim, caught in the slips to end the contest well before lunch. Victoria's Sam Harper earned player of the match honors for twin centuries that set up the comprehensive victory.
As WA prepare for their final two Shield games, Voges' commitment to maintaining experienced players suggests a focus on competitiveness rather than wholesale regeneration, despite the team's challenging position in the competition.
