Veteran Ashton Turner believes WA’s chase of a rare Shield four-peat might be their toughest as they balance injuries, international duties and generational change
Tristan Lavalette04-Oct-2024Running out of gas, and players, Western Australia’s bid for a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles appeared in ruins deep into last season.WA endured adversity, ravaged by injuries and international departures as hungry competitors seemed to have finally overtaken them. But WA once again found a way, tapping into their reserves and resiliency to summon brilliant cricket at the business end culminating in a pummelling of Tasmania in a one-sided final.The last rites were spectacular with Joel Paris taking a blinder of a catch in the gully to clinch another title and trigger bedlam at the WACA.Those at the ground will never forget WA’s surge of momentum when everything they touched turned to gold. There were echoes of when Australia in the 2000s would get white hot and steamroll through exasperated opponents.Related
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A match that appeared destined to go the distance finished in a whirlwind late on day four in fading light. For this golden group of WA cricketers, it was their sweetest triumph.Fast forward six months, ahead of WA’s Shield opener against Queensland at home starting on October 8, excitement is swirling around the old warhorse of the WACA. But there is also a feeling of uncertainty over whether WA can ward off the signs of slippage that was evident at times last season and continue their reign as the powerhouse of Australian domestic cricket.There won’t be complacency, with motivation found in the record books. The last team to win four in a row was when New South Wales lifted the Shield nine straight times from 1954-62. But no team has achieved the feat since the competition was expanded to six teams in 1977-78.WA (1987-89), Queensland (2000-02) and Victoria (2015-17) each fell short.”It [four in a row] is something we’ve spoken about in-house,” veteran WA batter Ashton Turner told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s great motivation, feels like we’re in rarified air. So it’s a really unique position.”Something we’re certainly aware of but in terms of motivation, you don’t become a professional cricketer without being internally competitive. Whether we’re playing dominoes or playing professional cricket, everyone in our squad is innately competitive.”Nothing will change this year from what has been a really successful blueprint over the last couple of seasons.”As gleaned from Shield history, so too other sports, winning four in a row is almost an impossible task. WA are finding this out the hard way in the One-Day Cup with the three-time champions starting the tournament with head-scratching losses to NSW and South Australia.
“One of the challenges after a really successful period is balancing the experienced senior playing group with sprinkling opportunities for young guys. We are mindful that there’s going to be another generation of Western Australian cricketers and we want to leave that generation in the healthiest place possible.”Ashton Turner on WA’s looming generational change
Issues are already evident. While WA’s famed continuity remains in place, with wicket-keeper/batter Josh Philippe’s defection to NSW their only major departure, depth will again be severely tested. A cautious approach is expected on injury-prone quicks Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris as they work their way back to full fitness.They will also have a number of players unavailable for stretches due to international duties. Depending on the severity of Cameron Green’s back injury, opener Cameron Bancroft and allrounder Aaron Hardie might be in the frame for Test duties.While rising offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who has been the fulcrum of the attack during the past two seasons, looms as a contender for Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka early next year.”History would suggest that we’re going to lean on a much bigger squad of players. We’re really fortunate enough to have 30 players in our squad and probably four or five extra guys who are not officially contracted,” Turner said.”One of the challenges after a really successful period is balancing the experienced senior playing group with sprinkling opportunities for young guys.”We are mindful that there’s going to be another generation of Western Australian cricketers and we want to leave that generation in the healthiest place possible.”WA do have exciting prospects in the squad. Dogged top-order batter Teague Wyllie will look to get back on track after falling away last season, notably struggling with his foot work, while 19-year-old quick Mahli Beardman’s raw pace helped him earn a surprise call-up in Australia’s recent white-ball tour of the UK.Cooper Connolly brought up a fifty on debut•Getty ImagesBut all eyes will be on Cooper Connolly, who seems poised for a breakout summer. Having recently debuted at the international level, Connolly, 21, is an x-factor and his electric allround skills might just provide a spark for WA. He made a swashbuckling 90 in last year’s Shield final on first-class debut batting at No.7.”He’ll be an exciting one and hopefully we’ll get to see him more on the back of what he’s been able to do in Shield and BBL finals,” Turner said. “I see a lot of similarities between him and Travis Head, whose versatility allows him to bat at the top or middle order across formats.”Cooper is one of those guys who can play a number of roles. That’s what you want within your team – to have a couple of guys who are really versatile and gel well.”But a position may not be available for Connolly to start the season with Mitchell Marsh and Hardie set to play against Queensland as specialist batters, leaving Connolly and Turner possibly facing a selection battle.Turner rejuvenated his red-ball career late in the 2022-23 season, smashing a match-turning century in the Shield final against Victoria. He started last season strongly, carving a niche as a Gilchrist-like counterattacking No.7, before his summer was cut short due to a knee injury sustained early in the BBL season.With his aggressive batting, handy offspin and renowned leadership, Turner is likely to play a big role for WA having missed out on last season’s title.”There’s no sugar coating, injuries are really frustrating. Fortunately, my body’s feeling as well as it has done for a while now,” he said.Turner made his comeback in the IPL, reuniting with his former WA coach Justin Langer at Lucknow to end a five-year absence in the tournament, before returning to Durham for the T20 Blast. He also played two County Championship matches, scoring 114 not out off 151 balls batting at No.5 against Nottinghamshire.”What I’ve done in the last 18 months in red-ball…probably playing more positively than I did in the first eight or nine years of my career,” Turner said.”We’re seeing more positive approaches to red-ball cricket with new players having grown up on T20s coming into the system and that’s been good for me.”Turner also used his time at Durham to pick the brain of coach Ryan Campbell, a former flamboyant WA batter-wicketkeeper and an early exponent of the scoop shot.”I actually didn’t cross paths with him [at WA], but he’s helped my game the last couple of seasons,” Turner said of Campbell, who played two ODIs for Australia in the early 2000s.”He spoke to me about the way he approached the game as a player and his aggressive mindset. I’ve seen a lot of similarities in coaching philosophies between guys like Justin Langer, Simon Katich, Adam Voges and Ryan Campbell, who applied their trade at a similar time in Western Australia.”Playing Shield is always difficult but I feel well prepared, both physically and technically, for the challenges of this season.”