AAP
The "bad boy" tag had already been shed by Shaun Marsh.
However, that didn't stop the talented West Australian batsman having another go at getting into the national selectors' good books at the Gabba on Saturday.
WA posted a massive total of 4-308, before Queensland were bowled out for 198 in the 44th over of their reply.
Marsh kept statisticians - and he hopes selectors - on their toes by thrashing an unbeaten 155 for the Warriors, setting up a 110-run win.
He stroked 12 fours and six sixes - including three straight off Alister McDermott - to register the highest knock at the Gabba, second-best by a WA batsman and ninth biggest overall in domestic one-day history.
Not a bad effort for a bloke who started the summer playing Perth club cricket after his brother Mitch's ill-fated birthday celebration ensured he returned from the Perth Scorchers' Champions League campaign with his tail between his legs.
Marsh dug deep in the Big Bash League to break back into Australia's Twenty20 side against Sri Lanka this summer - and a one-day call-up against the West Indies may still be on the cards based on his heroics on Saturday.
He wasn't the only star to shine for a WA outfit that has kept their one-day final hopes alive.
Australian Twenty20 teammates Marsh (155 not out off 147 balls) and captain Adam Voges (112 off 116) put on 229 for the third wicket after WA were reeling at 2-16 in the ninth over.
It was WA's second-highest stand in domestic one-day history - just shy of their overall record of 257, also for the third wicket, set by Murray Goodwin and Mike Hussey against NSW in Perth in 2001.
And it easily eclipsed WA's 160-run third-wicket limited overs record partnership against Queensland set by Justin Langer and Chris Rogers in 2003 in Perth.
It ensured fourth-placed WA notched back-to-back bonus point wins to move to 14 points on the one-day ladder to remain a mathematical chance of making the final with one game left up their sleeve.
Third-placed Queensland (15pts) had everything to play for with a finals berth in their sights but didn't fire with the bat.
Victoria (19pts) lead the competition ahead of South Australia (18pts), who have a game in hand.
Only Nathan Reardon (58), former Australia one-day batsman Peter Forrest (40) and recalled opener Greg Moller (39) looked like taking it to a WA attack led by Nathan Coulter-Nile (3-48), left arm quick Jason Behrendorff (3-39) and promising spinner Ashton Agar (3-51).
The Warriors also looked sluggish early with the bat, crawling to 50 in the 17th over.
However, by the 25th over the Warriors had registered three figures as Voges and Marsh began to take charge.
Their 218-ball stand finally came to an end when Voges' ramp shot went awry and he was caught off Matthew Gale (3-50 off 11 overs) in the 45th over.
Voges thumped 11 fours to notch his highest domestic one-day knock.
Voges dared to dream about a one-day final ahead of their regular season finale against Tasmania on February 19.
"To be able to back up what we did against NSW (Wednesday night's 111-run win in Sydney) is really pleasing," he said.
"It will be a tough ask to get to the final but the pleasing thing is the way we go about everything - it is getting great results."
Voges credited new coach Justin Langer for his recent Twenty20 international recall and Marsh's form - and attitude - reversal.
"He has changed a few things with my technique and tinkered a bit with Shaun as well - it is starting to bare some fruit," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment