Western Australia enters the 2001-02 season in something of an unfamiliar
guise. For the first time in five years, it embarks on a domestic campaign
without a title alongside its name from the previous year. It also has a
new coach, and a new captain. Will it necessarily, then, be a season of
change for the Warriors?
It's probably fair to say that planning for this campaign began as early as
the last week of February. By then, the state had missed its shot at
back-to-back one-day titles; was destined not to participate in the 2000-01
Pura Cup Final; and had seen one of its favourite sons, Tom Moody, play his
last match in Western Australian colours.
So, in a sense, they're already a step ahead of most teams. But, by the
same token, the Warriors probably have as much work to do as any of their
rivals.
Given that it's likely that stars Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Justin
Langer and Simon Katich will all be missing at times this season, new coach
Mike Veletta's toughest assignment might lie in deciding which players
should be entrusted with the job of shoring up the batting.
Prolific opener Mike Hussey is an automatic selection - and a chance of
playing for Australia himself before the summer is out. The rapidly
maturing Marcus North looms as another. But then the choices suddenly
become more challenging.
If Veletta opts for experienced players, then Murray Goodwin and Ryan
Campbell can be expected to be close to the head of his list.
Yet Goodwin (despite a tremendous one-day season in 2000-01 and an
excellent winter with Sussex) enters this Pura Cup campaign having notched
double figure scores as few as four times from 13 innings last summer. And
the main focus of Campbell's duties is expected to be wicketkeeping,
suggesting that he could bat further down the list than in previous years.
Even if the coach turns his attention to new blood, then other vexing
problems could lie in wait.
Shaun Marsh and Scott Meuleman are outstanding youngsters and each has
strong claims to a berth. But difficulties surrounding their inclusion are
potentially two-fold. Throwing them in at the deep end in interstate
cricket without much in the way of experienced heads around them might be
unfair. And they are also key members of the Australian Under-19 World Cup
squad which travels to New Zealand in January.
It's worth noting, though, that such problems weren't entirely unfamiliar
to the side last season. Moreover, the batsmen generally held up their end
of the bargain admirably.
The bottom line is that significant improvement in the output of the
bowlers is needed if the Warriors are to experience a more enjoyable season.
Of course, paceman Brad Williams' absence for much of the summer does need
to be borne strongly in mind when marking the Warriors' report card for
2000-01. Williams endured a desperately unlucky run with injury, and his
tribulations robbed the team of its most potent bowling weapon.
Fellow paceman Matthew Nicholson waged a losing battle with injury during
the middle part of the season too, succumbing to the effects of a knee
injury in Hobart in November.
These two players are possibly as vital as any to Western Australia's
chances of mounting competitive seasons in both competitions. And, with
them fit and firing, the Warriors undoubtedly have the capacity to make a
complete mess of the predictions at the bottom of this page.
Veteran Jo Angel can, as always, also be counted upon for important
wickets, and Sean Cary, Gavin Swan and Stuart Karppinen provide fine
back-up. Importantly, there are signs that the likes of Darren Wates,
Peter Worthington, Michael Thistle and Andrew James will soon be ready to
bolster the senior team's core of pace bowling options too.
And, as comparatively as unsuccessful as 2000-01 proved overall, there were
still a range of positives that could be taken from the season.
The team's ability, in particular, to conjure last-over victories in
one-day matches against South Australia and Tasmania respectively was
crucial in facilitating its passage to the Mercantile Mutual Cup Final.
Aside from a few shaky moments, its general limited-overs form was in fact
very encouraging for the vast bulk of the summer.
It was even a touch unlucky to lose the deciding match. Ultimately beaten
by a tremendous Michael Bevan innings, one dropped catch might well have
represented the entire sum of the difference between victory and defeat.
While the Western Australians don't look quite as menacing a force as in
years past, therein lies an important message for any would-be detractors.
Only a few things need to go their way for another chapter to be added to
what is already a proud history. In both forms of the game.
The star: Hard to know quite how many games he'll play for his state given
that his appearances in the national squad are steadily increasing. But,
in those for which he is available, Simon Katich looms as the lynchpin of
the batting line-up. He has a great eye, an excellent temperament, and
seems to be little bothered by any attack in the land - a notion confirmed
by his feat in plundering at least one century against each of the other
five states last summer.
The up-and-comer: This is a season when the Warriors' batting depth is
likely to be tested significantly. On that basis, Shaun Marsh's progress
during the summer can be expected to form an interesting study in itself.
At the head of the crop of young talent expected to make a mark in state
ranks in the next year or two, the son of former Australian opener and
coach, Geoff, is a well-equipped, well-organised and level-headed batsman
who looks destined to enjoy a great career in the game.
The draw: There are no obvious drawbacks in the Warriors' program for the
summer. There's a visit to the 'Gabba early on but otherwise only one
other day's cricket away from home in the season's first five weeks.
Importantly, both matches against Pura Cup pacesetter Queensland are also
dispensed with inside the opening month. They play five of their seven
matches during January and February at home, and it might be how they fare
in these two months that decides their fate.
Predicted Pura Cup finishing position: 5th
Predicted ING Cup finishing position: 4th
