Six players to watch in the Marsh One-Day Cup

The Marsh One-Day Cup begins in Sydney on Monday with heavyweights NSW hosting Victoria at North Sydney Oval.

While Australia's T20 stars will be missing for the opening stages, most of the country's Test players are available until those headed to the Indian Premier League jet off next month.

So, in no particular order, let's look at six players to watch, one from each state, in the Marsh Cup this summer.

The 2021 Marsh One-Day Cup will be live streamed for free on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app while select matches will also be shown on Fox Cricket and Kayo

South Australia

Yes, Callum Ferguson has retired from first-class cricket and is without a BBL contract, but he is still suiting up for the Redbacks in the Marsh Cup as the competition's most prolific run-scorer in the past four tournaments. Nobody has more runs (1394) or centuries (six) than Ferguson since the 2016 edition, and his average of 53.62 is right up there, too. Not only is Ferguson a class performer, he has a point to prove after the Sydney Thunder decided to part ways with the club captain.

Queensland

Sam Heazlett averages 30.53 in first-class cricket and 17.72 in T20s, but between those formats the left-hander averages 54.05 in one-dayers. It is a brilliant and overlooked record for the 25-year-old, who is in form after a career-best knock of 74no for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL|10 finals. Not only does Heazlett score plenty of runs, he scores them at a fair clip too, owning a strike rate of 105 in his 20 one-day matches. If the Bulls are to return to the final this season, Heazlett is likely to have a big say.

Western Australia

The reigning champions have largely the same squad that won the title last year but nine of their leading players are unavailable for the first weeks of the tournament due to national commitments in New Zealand. Andrew Tye, who is uncontracted at state level but is still expected to feature in the Marsh Cup, is one of those players across the Tasman, the fast bowler who has taken 37 wickets in just 15 matches since 2017. His strike rate of 20.8 is comfortably the best of any bowler with at least 10 wickets, and his economy rate of 5.41 is exceptional for a death bowler. While he won't be around for the start of the competition, keep an eye out for Tye when he returns.

Tasmania

Riley Meredith has the pace, Jackson Bird has the accuracy and Nathan Ellis has a bit of both. Ellis, 26, announced himself against a stacked NSW side last summer, taking 5-38 in an upset win in Sydney. He finished the Marsh Cup with 12 wickets in seven matches as Tasmania's best with the ball. There will be no Meredith at the start of the Tigers' campaign, but with Ellis, Bird and evergreen seamer Peter Siddle, Tasmania have a potent fast bowling attack.

Victoria

Skipper Peter Handscomb has been Victoria's best with the bat in the Marsh Cup over the past three seasons. Averaging 47.56 and striking at better than a run-a-ball, the right-hander has been a model of consistency for the Vics. Handscomb was instrumental in Victoria's 2018-19 title win, named player of the match in the final for his quick-fire 49 and four dismissals with the gloves. Without Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell for most, if not all, of the competition, Handscomb will shoulder more responsibility with the bat. Speaking of shoulders, that's just about where Handscomb's fabulous hair falls to these days. It is great to see.

New South Wales

While NSW boast consistent Marsh Cup performers like Daniel Hughes, Moises Henriques and Sean Abbott and exciting prospects like Oliver Davies, when Steve Smith is playing a one-dayer in sky blue you simply must watch him. Smith's last 50-over game for NSW came at North Sydney Oval in October in 2019, out for nine to Tasmania's express paceman Riley Meredith. But that was ages ago. Smith is Australia's reigning ODI player of the year and those pair of 62-ball centuries against India at the SCG at the start of the summer suggests he's taken his one-day game to a new level. It is unclear how many Marsh Cup games Smith will play, but when he does, be sure to tune in.