In a crucial Sheffield Shield match at WACA, Western Australia and New South Wales played it safe, resulting in a draw and leaving their chances of reaching the final dependent on other results. WA set a target of 281 runs after Hilton Cartwright’s 171 not out but NSW opted not to chase, finishing at 130 for 4. NSW captain Jack Edwards acknowledged the conservative approach. As the season concludes, Queensland leads with 36.8 points, followed by NSW and WA. Both teams will seek wins in their next matches while missing crucial players. WA aims to maintain their championship hopes despite challenges.
Although pole position was at stake in the race to reach the Sheffield Shield final, both Western Australia and New South Wales opted for a cautious approach, resulting in an anticlimactic draw at the WACA.
NSW quickly determined that chasing the target was too challenging on a difficult surface where the new ball had been tough for batters.
“We aimed for a target between 250 and 300,” Cartwright stated. “We knew batting would become easier once the ball softened. We didn’t want to provide them too many overs with insufficient runs. If we left them 70 overs for 250, it could have been quite manageable for them.
“Our goal was to maintain the right balance… giving ourselves enough time to try to bowl them out while also encouraging them to chase the score. We thought they might take more of a risk at the target because [a win] would significantly enhance their chances of making the final.”
“Perhaps I expected them to declare a bit earlier,” said NSW captain Jack Edwards. “They batted us out of the game and rightfully took control. After losing [Maddinson], we decided to shut up shop. [Konstas] played excellently; he demonstrated what a naturally talented player he is when he applied himself.”
Both teams’ fates are now beyond their control, but they must stay focused on the upcoming must-win games. NSW will next travel to Bellerive Oval, where they will be favoured against Tasmania, who are out of contention for the season.
“I’m optimistic, having players like that return significantly helps us to win the upcoming game,” Edwards said. “We’re looking to secure victory in the next match and just put our best foot forward to see what unfolds.”
After dealing with a stress fracture last winter and a quad strain late in pre-season, Morris has a restriction of around 30 overs per game. He recorded a first-class career best of 5 for 26 from 20.3 overs in NSW’s first innings, leading to curiosity about how many overs he would bowl on the final day.
Morris ultimately bowled 12 overs, including some at the end where he delivered several blazing yorkers in a last-ditch effort. However, he could not regain the precision he displayed earlier in the match and concluded with figures of 0 for 41.
“[Connolly] came over during the game to greet us, and it’s great to have him around. He’ll strengthen our batting line-up,” Cartwright mentioned. “We need to maintain our focus on what occurs within our camp. If circumstances align in our favour, that would be excellent. But we must take care of our responsibilities before turning our attention to [the other] matches over east.”