Marsh, Bancroft make most of Matador outing

Western Australia openers Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft have made the most of their unexpected return to domestic cricket with superb centuries against the West End Redbacks at Hurstville Oval.

The Alcohol.Think Again Western Warriors duo was originally scheduled to spend the bulk of October with the Australian Test squad, before the postponement of the Qantas Tour of Bangladesh due to safety fears meant a return for the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup.

Marsh eventually fell for 109 to end a partnership of 216 - the third-highest in Warriors history and the team’s best-ever opening stand in 50-over cricket – but Bancroft carried on to finish with a stunning 176 from 155 balls.

It was Bancroft’s maiden hundred in List A cricket and the highest score by a WA batsman in the 50-over competition, while it was Marsh’s sixth in the WA colours. He is now just one century behind coach Justin Langer for the state one-day record.

"I'm disappointed for them (to miss the tour)," Warriors coach Langer told cricket.com.au in Hurstville. 

"But that said, their security is the most important thing.

"They've done everything the selectors could have asked of them today.

"They're potentially going to open the batting for Australia, but here they are opening for Western Australia and they both got hundreds in a 200-run partnership which is an outstanding effort."

After being sent in to bat by South Australian skipper Travis Head, the pair survived a scare in the opening over from paceman Kane Richardson – Bancroft with a caught behind appeal and Marsh with a shout for lbw – before going about their business in contrasting, albeit effective, fashion.

Marsh raced out of the blocks with a series of boundaries courtesy of elegant driving either side of the wicket, as well as a disdainful pull shot off seamer Joe Mennie in the 15th over.

Meanwhile, Bancroft was more circumspect as he looked to settle into the conditions that could only be described as ideal for batting. The 22-year-old got comfortable and soon made up for lost time in a knock that featured 14 fours and eight sixes, the highlight of which was a dominant pull shot again off Mennie in the 40th over.

The young opener is considered by some to be a red-ball specialist and his one-day average of just 20 heading into today’s match would support that assessment.

However, Langer insists Bancroft can forge a long career for Australia across all three formats.

“I’ve said since he was selected in the side, he’s going to end up being a great one-day and Twenty20 player,” the WA coach said.

“He’s so strong, he’s also so fit and he also works so hard on his game.

“He’ll learn to adjust and he’ll learn to increase his strokeplay, so I have no doubt he can be someone who plays all forms of the game.”

Bancroft was in line for a Test debut against Bangladesh in the absence of the injured David Warner, while Marsh was out to cement a spot in the Australian line-up after failing to do so during the failed Ashes campaign.

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Bancroft lift the bat // Getty Images

With Warner expected to be fit for the first Commonwealth Bank Test against New Zealand, there’ll be strong competition to fill the hole left by the retired Chris Rogers.

Queensland’s Joe Burns was dismissed for a golden duck on the opening day of the three-week tournament, while fellow Bulls batsman Usman Khawaja is currently recovering from a mild hamstring injury.

Cricket Australia has scheduled a two-day training camp with the red ball at Hurstville Oval – the venue for today’s impressive performances - on October 13-14 and both Marsh and Bancroft will almost certainly be included in that group.

The record partnership laid a sturdy platform for the defending champions as they posted 4-350 from their 50 overs with a handy cameo from Mitch Marsh – another Test squad member – who blasted 34 from just 18 balls late in the innings.