West Aussie spinner Corey Rocchiccioli believes his team will embrace lesson learned from the back end of last summer’s Sheffield Shield campaign and apply them in their final two games. 

The reigning Shield champions are in touching distance of the top two, sitting in third with two must-win games ahead of them to lock in a top two finish. 

Western Australia hosts the second-ranked New South Wales at the WACA Ground and will be searching for a win against them to advance up the ladder. 

Both side has have three wins each, with a win for WA against NSW meaning they jump up into second place before heading into the final round against Victoria. 

This current situation is familiar to the West Aussie side, who also had a similar equation last season which they successfully overcame to lock in a home final and their third consecutive title. 

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s match, Rocchiccioli told SportFM having experience in that scenario will hold them in good stead.

“It’s obviously really important and it’s probably something that we had to experience last year,” he said. 

If you cast your eyes back to the games we played this time last year, we had to win both our games to be a chance to be in it. We did that and obviously history says we got a home Shield final because of it. 

“We know the New South Wales are coming in with some strong form and some really good players. They’ve obviously got Jackson Bird, who just brought up his 400th first-class wicket, they’ve got Sam Konstas back from his Aussie stuff and obviously Flip keeping for them. 

“It’s a really important game for both sides. If we learn the lessons that we learned last year in how we were successful and being able to hold our nerve and win both our games that we needed to, I think that’ll hold us in good stead.” 

Aussie teen sensation Sam Konstas will headline New South Wales’ batting line up at the WACA, however, he has found himself out of form and under performing

Konstas quickly climbed the Australian batting hierarchy after a strong start to the Shield season, but has not made a significant contribution with the bat since returning from National duty. 

His top score of 22 runs is significantly under what he was making prior to his national team selection where he averaged 58.88 runs from eight innings. 

Konstas’ batting has come underfire for his batting in recent Shield matches and will be looking for a strong performance against the West Aussies to get the monkey off his back. 

However, Rocchiccioli is confident he has the tools to combat the out-of-form, but dangerous opener. 

“I was really lucky. I probably got a bit of an upper hand on everyone else by spending a couple of weeks in India with him and then playing the Aussie-A game with him,” he said.

“I knew what he was going to do to spin. Some days that works with a batter, some days it doesn’t. 

“I don’t think I need to change my plan too much to him. I think it’s just specifically understanding the rhythm that he’s in. It’s clear that when he’s in gear six, he’s in gear six. 

”Understanding what fields I need to set and how I need to be disciplined at the stumps and if the wicket’s helping me, then that probably brings things back into my favour. 

“He’s obviously shown that he’s a class talent. Like most of their batters in their team, I’ve got to make sure I’m on my toes.” 

Western Australia has named their line up for the match with opener Cameron Bancroft and Charlie Stobo named in the squad, while young quick Teague Wylie was omitted. 

Bancroft, in his hundreth game, will provide the West Aussies with more firepower at the top of the order against the New South Wales bowling attack upon return from shoulder injury. 

“It’s rather fitting that he’s going to get that title and that milestone down at the WACA where he’s made plenty of runs,” Rocchicholi said.

“We’re really looking forward to having him back and combining with Whitey (Sam Whiteman) at the top of the order.”  

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