'Pretty crazy': Teen Wyllie eyeing Shield in second game

It's fair to say Teague Wyllie idolises Shaun Marsh.

Over the next five days the teenage batting prodigy will get a chance in just his second first-class match to do something Marsh has spent the past 21 years trying to achieve, and that's win the Sheffield Shield.

At 17 years and 342 days old, he will become the second-youngest player behind Test skipper Pat Cummins (17 years, 313 days) to play in a Shield final.

Wyllie wasn't even born when the veteran left-hander made his first-class debut, let alone the last time Western Australia won a Marsh Sheffield Shield title.

It's a scenario the 38-year-old WA skipper is more than aware of.

"He's pretty lucky isn't he? I've waited 20 years to play in a home Shield final and he's playing in one in his second game," Marsh said.

"He was born in 2004 so I was about four years in then. It's a remarkable story and he's fitted into the group really well.

"I've been really impressed with him; a really mature head on his shoulders and he certainly didn't look out of place last week.

"He's played so well over the last 18 months in grade cricket, Second XI cricket and Australian Under-19 cricket, he thoroughly deserves his opportunity over the last few weeks, and I'm really excited for Western Australian cricket moving forward with Teague Wyllie in the team."

In the Toyota Second XI this summer, Wyllie has amassed 382 runs at 191, including a top score of 153 not out against Tasmania in early December.

In February, he hit 108 not out for his WACA Premier club Rockingham-Mandurah against an attack boasting T20 star AJ Tye, WA teammate Lance Morris and his Australia Under-19 skipper Cooper Connolly.

On debut last week against the same opposition he faces today at the same ground, Wyllie showed composure beyond his years with a classy 42 in a partnership of 103 with centurion Hilton Cartwright that took the game away from Victoria.

"It would have been nice to have got a hundred or got a few more than 40-odd, but it was nice to get out there and get a taste of what Shield cricket is like," Wyllie told cricket.com.au.

"It's a pretty surreal feeling, it's been a pretty hectic last six months; from where I've come from to say I'm playing in a Shield final is pretty crazy.

"A lot of hard work has gone into it; I'm really looking forward to the opportunity and the learnings the next week has to offer."

As for his new teammate and captain, Wyllie says he's amazed every time he watches Marsh bat.

"I've never seen anyone time a cricket ball like Shaun, it's just unbelievable and I'm in awe every time I watch him, so to call him a teammate is something I'm very proud of," he said.

"Whenever I'm around Shaun I'm just trying to be like a sponge and soak up as much information as I can.

"He's got a very, very wise cricket brain so just being able to try and learn as much as I can while he is still around the group … just watching him go about his business is so good.

"For him to have played four seasons before I was born, that just goes to show the longevity (he's had), he's been so good for WA cricket and you don't see any sign of him slowing down, he's always trying to get better."

The squads

Western Australia: Shaun Marsh (c), Cam Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Aaron Hardie, Sam Fanning, Cam Gannon, Matty Kelly, David Moody, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, D'Arcy Short, Sam Whiteman, Teague Wyllie

Victoria: Peter Handscomb (c), Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Sam Harper, Jon Holland, Nic Maddinson, Jono Merlo, Fergus O'Neill, Mitch Perry, Will Pucovski, James Seymour, Matt Short, Will Sutherland

The Marsh Sheffield Shield final will be broadcast live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports, as well as streamed free on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app