Photo Credit: Western Australia Cricket Association
After a successful summer which yielded all three titles in Australian domestic cricket, Our WA Cricketers have continued their fine form in the off-season, with several players across both our Men’s and Women’s programs currently playing for various teams all over the world.
In good news, WA’s Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis and Cameron Green have been selected in the Australian travelling party for the upcoming Qantas Men’s Ashes series, while Alana King, Beth Mooney and Maddy Darke have been chosen for the CommBank Women’s Ashes Tour in the United Kingdom.
Here are how our players have fared in the off-season.
Cameron Bancroft
The reigning Laurie Sawle Medallist is coming off a career-best campaign for WA, where he tallied 1272 runs at a tick over 58 runs across four-day and one-day cricket.
As soon as the Australian summer ended, Bancroft signed with Somerset for a four-match stint in the English County Championship.
While he didn’t produce as many runs as he would have liked, his contributions atop the order and his ability to bat long periods on some tricky batting wickets was extremely valuable.
Somerset – English County Championship
Matches: 4 Innings:7 Runs:137: HS:44 Average:19.57
Jason Behrendorff
The ever-reliable left-armer was bought by the Mumbai Indians in the 2023 Indian Premier League Auction alongside state teammate Cameron Green, marking his return to the competition for the first time since 2019.
Behrendorff played a crucial role for his franchise, taking 14 wickets at 24.14 with a best of 3-23.
The Mumbai Indians fell just short of a spot in the IPL Final, losing to the Gujarat Titans in the Semi-Final.
Mumbai Indians – Indian Premier League
Matches:12 Overs:35 Wickets:14 BBI: 3-23 Average 24.14 Econ:9.65
Josh Inglis
The dynamic wicketkeeper batter has been selected for the Qantas Ashes Tour to the UK, off the back of an outstanding 12 months for both WA and the Perth Scorchers.
He has been chosen as a backup-wicketkeeper to test gloveman Alex Carey, and could play a crucial role if called upon.
Inglis has been no stranger to International Cricket over the past 12 months, regularly featuring in Australia’s limited-overs teams.
Inglis showed that he is the man for a big occasion, when he struck an eye-catching 138 off just 110 balls in WA’s dominant Marsh One-Day Cup title win over South Australia at the WACA Ground in February.
He also proved his talent in the longer format, striking a valuable 116 in tough batting conditions on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena.
A Test debut in the Ashes would be a remarkable story for Inglis, given he spent much of his childhood growing up in England.
Cameron Green
Due to his standing as Australia’s premier allrounder across all three formats, WA fans don’t get to see much of Green in the black and yellow.
Green’s star has continued to rise over the past 12 months, scoring his first international century on the most recent tour of India and taking his first five-wicket haul in a Test match on Boxing Day against South Africa.
Not only has Green started to make his mark in international cricket, but he also secured his first IPL contract after being bought by the Mumbai Indians. Green had a brilliant debut tournament, smashing 452 runs at 50.22 with a strike rate of over 160 and taking 6 wickets with the ball. His season included two half-centuries and a wonderful century, made off just 47 balls.
Green will have a significant role to play in the upcoming Ashes Tour, with his batting at number six combined with his ability to bowl 10-15 overs in a day, crucial to Australia’s chances of retaining the Ashes against the old enemy.
Mumbai Indians – Indian Premier League
Batting: Matches: 15 Runs: 452 HS:100 Average 50.22 Strike Rate 160.28 50s:2 100s:1
Bowling: Overs: 32 Wickets: 6 BBI: 2-41 Average 51.83 Economy 9.71
Mitch Marsh
The powerful allrounder has been a regular in Australia’s white ball squads for the last few years and this past summer was no different, which meant he wasn’t able to get out on the park for his beloved WA. Marsh was at his brutal best in his only Sheffield Shield appearance of the season, striking 108 off just 111 balls and continuing WA’s charge to a second straight Shield title.
His form continued in Australia’s tour of India, where he was named Player of the Series in the 50-over series victory in an unfamiliar role at the top of the order.
Marsh, an IPL regular when fit, then returned to Delhi Capitals for a second season after an outstanding tournament in 2022. Marsh showed glimpses of his world-class ability, striking 63 off just 39 balls and taking 4-27 off four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a Player of the Match performance.
The 31-year-old has also been selected for the Qantas Ashes Tour in June, alongside state teammates Josh Inglis and Cameron Green. Marsh has happy memories in the UK, taking his only Test five-wicket haul at the Oval in 2019.
Delhi Capitals- Indian Premier League
Batting – Matches:9 Runs: 128 HS:63 Average: 14.22 Strike Rate:131.95 50s:1
Bowling – Overs 20.1 Wickets: 12 BBI: 4-27 Average: 14.16 Economy: 8.42
Marcus Stoinis
Another WA allrounder who dominated the Indian Premier League. Stoinis returned to Lucknow Super Giants for this year’s edition, after being retained from the franchise’s maiden campaign in the much-loved tournament.
The 33-year-old was one of the main reasons his team finished third and made the IPL playoffs, producing several destructive innings with the bat. He finished the tournament with 368 runs at an average of 31.38, with a highest score of 89 not out. Stoinis also made telling contributions with the ball, capturing five wickets.
Stoinis has become a staple in Australia’s white-ball squads in recent years, with his dynamic power hitting and changes of pace with the ball making him a highly valued member.
Lucknow Super Giants – Indian Premier League
Batting – Matches: 15 Runs: 408 HS: 89* Average: 31.38 Strike Rate: 150 50s: 3
Bowling – Overs: 10.5 Wickets: 5 BBI: 2-20 Average: 20 Economy: 9.23
Ashton Turner
It was a summer of standing up in big moments for Ashton Turner, producing a Player of the Match performance in the Sheffield Shield Final with a career-high 128, and back-to-back Player of the Match efforts in the KFC Big Bash League Finals to lead Perth Scorchers to consecutive titles.
He also led WA’s 50-over side to an undefeated season in the Marsh One-Day Cup, proving he is one of the best leaders in the country.
In May, he signed a deal with Durham to play in the T20 Vitality Blast in England after being named as an international replacement player.
Turner has played 7 matches so far, producing a highest score of 46.
A career-best campaign for Turner was recognised, signing a two-year contract extension with WA that keeps him around until the end of the 2024-25 season.
Durham – T20 Vitality Blast
Matches: 7 Innings: 6 Runs: 123 HS: 46 Average: 41 Strike Rate: 155.69
Andrew Tye
The evergreen paceman continued to be a strong contributor for WA and Perth Scorchers last summer, playing his role in both the Marsh One-Day Cup and KFC Big Bash League triumphs.
Tye finished third in the wicket-takers list in BBL|12 with 26 and is second all-time for wickets taken in the Big Bash League with 144.
He also notched up his 100th BBL match during the summer, a remarkable achievement given he started his professional career as a 27-year-old.
He is currently plying his trade in the T20 Vitality Blast in England for Northamptonshire, playing seven matches in the competition to date, taking ten wickets.
Northamptonshire – T20 Vitality Blast
Matches: 7 Overs: 23.5 Wickets: 10 BBI: 3-30 Average: 23.60 Economy: 9.90
Sam Whiteman
The Sheffield-Shield winning skipper had another productive season for WA, leading his side to back-to-back Shield titles.
He finished with 601 runs in 11 matches, including two centuries, one half-century and a highest score of 193 against South Australia at the WACA Ground.
Like many of his state teammates, Whiteman chose to continue playing in the off-season, signing a deal with Northamptonshire in the English County Championship.
Whiteman has been in terrific form, scoring 324 runs in 12 innings at an average of 32.40. He produced a match-saving performance against Somerset, compiling 130 not out off 269 balls in an innings lasting more than six hours to help his side claim a draw.
Northamptonshire – English County Championship
Matches: 6 Innings:12 Runs: 324 HS: 130* Average 32.40 100s: 1 50s: 1
Name of Author: Western Australia Cricket Association
WA Cricket, formerly known as the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA), is the governing body for cricket in Western Australia. Established on November 5, 1885, the WACA opened its iconic ground, the WACA Ground, in 1893.
