Sun Oct 13 04:03:21 UTC 2024: ## Marsh Falls Short of Century as WA and Queensland Draw in Shield Opener

Perth, Australia – Mitch Marsh narrowly missed out on a century as Western Australia and Queensland drew their Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground on Friday.

Marsh, playing as a batter only to manage his workload, reached 94 runs in WA’s second innings before falling just short of a three-figure score. The all-rounder struck 14 fours and a six but was dismissed by Jack Wildermuth when he skied a pull shot.

While Marsh’s performance was a positive sign for WA, the match ultimately ended in a draw after Queensland finished their chase at 1-120 off 35 overs. Usman Khawaja led the charge with an unbeaten 64, while Marnus Labuschagne remained not out on 35.

The draw was a disappointing outcome for WA, who had declared their second innings at 6-263 shortly after lunch on day four, leaving Queensland with a challenging target to chase.

“Once they sort of got through that safe period, I thought they may have tried to push the game forward a little bit quicker and then tried to let us have a bat for longer,” Queensland captain Labuschagne said.

WA captain Sam Whiteman defended the decision to declare, citing the strong batting lineup of Queensland and the workload on his bowlers.

The match also saw a number of other noteworthy performances, including a solid showing from WA wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who scored 122 and 48 in the match. However, WA opener Cameron Bancroft failed to make an impact, scoring a pair of ducks, potentially harming his chances of a Test recall.

The draw sets the stage for a long and competitive season in the Sheffield Shield, with both teams looking to build momentum heading into the summer.

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