Bancroft should be rewarded for standout batting form

WA batting coach Beau Casson says he is delighted to have Cameron Bancroft in the state side, but he hopes he is rewarded for his standout batting form with a recall to the Test team.

Bancroft was the dominant run-scorer of last season’s Sheffield Shield, with his aggregate of 945 nearly 300 more than his closest rival, and he started this season in a similar vein last week, peeling off 122 in an innings victory over Victoria.

Casson told Sports Breakfast the 30-year-old’s ability to compartmentalise his push for national selection while working with WA was “remarkable”.

“We all see him train, he leaves nothing to chance, no stone unturned. That’s something he continues to do,” Casson said.

“We’re biased West Australians. I certainly hope he’s being talked about and he’s a big chance of being selected in the side.

“The great thing about it is he’s playing great cricket for WA and everyone’s enjoying his company and his bucket hands taking catches at second slip.”

Fast bowler Lance Morris is set to play his first red ball game for the year after being named in the squad to play Tasmania in a game that starts on Sunday at the WACA Ground, while Casson said Ashton Agar (calf) and Hilton Cartwright (knee) were progressing well from their injury concerns.

“Super pumped to have Lance back, I know he’s champing at the bit to get back out there. He’s been managed through the start of the season by Cricket Australia and he’s raring to go,” he said.

“We have seen [Agar] around, he’s rehabbing really well. He’s been bowling in the nets, he’s got a couple of little things he needs to tick off … hopefully he’ll be back sooner rather than later.

“Quite an interrupted preseason for Hilton … he’s tracking along well. He’s been batting for about three weeks, there’s no issues there, it’s just the running and the lateral movement.”

The Tigers opened their season with a road win over South Australia last week, with Casson saying they were a good side who would present stern opposition.

“They’ve got a few swing bowlers that like these conditions in Gabe Bell and Sam Rainbird, we know in the right conditions they’re threatening,” he said.

“Matthew Wade’s back in the side, Jordan Silk’s made runs during the season and Charlie Wakim’s coming off a good innings.

“We’re incredibly excited about coming up against them, particularly playing at home, a place we’ve played really well at for a couple of years now.”

The clash between Western Australia and Tasmania gets underway at 10:30am on Sunday at the WACA Ground and is being broadcast live on 91.3 SportFM.

IMAGE: