Sheffield Shield: Cameron Bancroft misses chance to fire for Western Australia but Josh Inglis blasts century

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Sheffield Shield: Cameron Bancroft misses chance to fire for Western Australia but Josh Inglis blasts century

Sheffield Shield: Cameron Bancroft misses chance to fire for Western Australia but Josh Inglis blasts century

Cam Bancroft has squandered a golden opportunity to impress national selectors with a first-ball duck in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield season-opener.

But teammates Josh Inglis and Sam Whiteman made chalk-and-cheese centuries that could catapult them into discussions.

They lifted WA to 7-319 on the opening day of their hunt for a fourth straight title against Queensland at the WACA Ground on Tuesday. Cooper Connolly will continue on 23 and Cameron Gannon on eight.

Inglis turbocharged a day that had sleep-walked through to tea with a 93-ball ton and 122 off 117. Whiteman batted for all but half-an-hour of the day for his 102 from 237 balls.

Bancroft was caught-behind from the very first ball of a master spell by Queensland’s Michael Neser.

And it came on the same day rival Test hopeful Marcus Harris plundered 143 on a batter’s paradise for Victoria at Junction Oval.

It is an early dent in Bancroft’s hopes amid calls for national selectors to once again consider him for a spot at the top of the order in Australia’s side.

Jayden Goodwin was also dismissed from the very next ball, leaving WA 2-0 and that score held for the first three overs in a disastrous start.

Neser also removed Mitch Marsh for 13 in a timely haul of 5-48. Three came with the first new ball and two with the second on a green-tinged wicket.

Inglis arrived halfway through the middle session after Hilton Cartwright had launched a Mitch Swepson delivery into the construction site late in his 38-run shift.

In a statement shield innings, Inglis dominated behind square, cutting away Queensland debutant Tom Straker for 16 runs in an over, including one six where he leapt to tease a ball over the keeper’s head and into the sightscreen.

Straker is athletic, has a powerful load-up and looks a prospect, but struggled to make any inroads on a wicket mostly conducive to new-ball bowling.

Inglis continued on after muted century celebrations, pulling the next ball forward of square for another of his 17 boundaries.

Marnus Labuschagne showed his hand in an aggressive start to life as a full-time captain. He had four slips and a gully for much of the first session and maintained three and one 40 overs in.

Then he brought himself on to bowl medium-pacers, where he set a leg-side field and peppered Whiteman and Inglis with short balls.

Matthew Renshaw claimed Inglis’ wicket caught-behind trying to race through overs in a flurry before the second new ball, which then ended Whiteman’s day. Matt Kelly was bowled soon after.

Camera IconJosh Inglis of Western Australia bats during day one of the Sheffield Shield. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

In Melbourne, Harris feasted on a placid wicket in as debate rages over whether selectors should pick a specialist opener to face India this summer.

Much of that centres around the fitness of Cam Green, who was at the WACA Ground on Tuesday, but is not a certain starter for the opening Test from November 22.

Peter Handscomb carried his prodigious county cricket form into the home summer with 129 in Victoria’s 7-330 against Tasmania.

New South Wales’ 19-year-old Michael Clarke clone Sam Konstas hit 152 — his maiden first-class ton — in a stumps score of 7-297.

In a hint he is likely to remain in Australia’s middle-order, Travis Head has been listed to bat at No.4 for South Australia against the Blues. Chairman of selectors George Bailey was in attendance for the opening day of that match.

Ashton Turner made an unbeaten century for WA’s second XI side against South Australia. Jhye Richardson took 1-50 from his load-managed 10 overs.

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