There’s a real buzz in the air as Victoria gears up for a massive week of cricket on home soil. It all kicks off with a Tuesday showdown against Western Australia at the CitiPower Centre for the coveted Dean Jones Trophy. This isn't just another one-dayer; it's the start of a crucial block of cricket that also features a four-day Sheffield Shield clash before the Big Bash League takes over. We should also mention
Key Highlights
- ✓ Victoria and Western Australia are set for a high-stakes clash for the Dean Jones Trophy.
- ✓ Victoria welcomes back in-form batters Campbell Kellaway (82) and Oliver Peake (54) from PM's XI duty.
- ✓ Mitch Marsh is confirmed to play for WA in the following Sheffield Shield match, his first red-ball game since last summer.
- ✓ Matt Short will captain Victoria, with regular skipper Will Sutherland being rested.
- ✓ Both teams are struggling in the One-Day Cup, sitting 6th (Victoria) and 5th (WA) on the points table.
Victoria’s Boosted Lineup and Fighting Spirit
The Victorian squad for Tuesday’s match has some serious firepower returning. The team is getting a huge boost with the inclusion of Campbell Kellaway, Oliver Peake, and the experienced Peter Handscomb. All three have just come off a stint with the Prime Minister’s XI against England, and they're bringing some fantastic form back with them.
Kellaway and Peake, in particular, looked brilliant, posting impressive scores of 82 and 54 respectively. It’s a great sign for Victoria’s batting depth. On the bowling front, fast bowlers Cam McClure and Xavier Crone are also back in the mix for selection, adding some much-needed reinforcement to the pace attack after their own time with the CA XI. Analysts note that
With Will Sutherland getting a well-deserved rest, Matt Short is stepping up to lead the side for the fourth time this season. You can feel the energy from the Victorian camp, and Men's Head Coach Chris Rogers summed it up perfectly. He mentioned there’s a "strong modern rivalry" between the two sides and that this is a "huge week" for his group.
Rogers added, “We took some important lessons out of last week, and the group is hungry to apply them and finish strongly heading into the BBL break. Current trends reveal that ” It’s clear they want to put on a show and play that “exciting, positive brand of cricket” that fans have come to associate with this Victorian team.
A Tale of Two Teams: The Story on the Points Table
Here’s where things get really interesting. Despite the optimism, if you look at the Australia Domestic One Day Cup standings, both teams have had a tough go. Victoria is currently sitting at the very bottom of the table with just one win from four matches. Western Australia isn't faring much better, placed just one spot above them in fifth, also with a single victory to their name.
Victoria's leading run-scorer in the tournament has been Sam Harper, who has racked up 199 runs. They are, however, coming off a thrilling win. In their last match, they scraped past up-to-date South Wales by just 5 runs in a nail-biter. After posting 183, thanks to a valuable 46 from Will Sutherland, their bowlers held their nerve to defend the total in a tense finish.
Western Australia, on the other hand, is coming off a loss. They went down to Tasmania by 4 wickets in a rain-affected match. Current trends reveal that Despite solid contributions from Sam Fanning, who made 66, and Teague Wyllie, who scored 56, their total of 248 wasn’t enough. Their top wicket-taker for the tournament, Joel Paris, will be looking to lead the charge with the ball. This match is a massive opportunity for both sides to gain some much-needed momentum.
The Marsh Factor and Ashes Auditions
Beyond the one-day contest, there's a huge storyline developing, and it revolves around one man: Mitch Marsh. WA coach Adam Voges has confirmed that Marsh will play in the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria following the one-dayer. This is significant because it will be his first red-ball appearance since he was dropped from the Test side last summer.
There’s a lot of chatter about Marsh potentially making an Ashes cameo, and this Shield game is a perfect audition. Voges admitted they're still figuring out where he fits in the batting order. While Marsh has been a destructive opener in white-ball cricket, he has never opened in his 121 first-class matches. Disrupting the successful opening duo of Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft is a big call.
And Marsh isn't the only one with higher honors on his mind. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is also on the fringes of an Ashes call-up. He's coming off a spectacular unbeaten 125 while opening for a Cricket Australia XI, proving his versatility and putting his name right back in front of the selectors. Voges rightly pointed out that Inglis has been "outstanding for a couple of years now" in the longer format, with four Shield hundreds in his last nine games.
While these Ashes discussions are swirling around the Shield game, both Marsh and Inglis are part of the WA one-day squad for Tuesday. This means Victorian fans will get a first-hand look at these stars, who will be fired up to perform and make a statement before the red-ball contest even begins.
Conclusion
So, when Victoria and Western Australia walk out onto the CitiPower Centre, there’s so much more at play than just the Dean Jones Trophy. It’s a classic rivalry between two proud states, a battle for crucial points to climb off the bottom of the one-day ladder, and a stage for some of the country’s biggest names to push their case for national selection. With Victoria’s returning young guns and WA’s seasoned stars looking to make a statement, this promises to be an enthralling start to a massive week of Australian domestic cricket.
