In a recent cricket match between Western Australia (WA) and Queensland in Brisbane, Josh Philippe, who was the player of the 2022-23 tournament, showcased his excellent form from the previous season, leading WA to a four-wicket victory.
Philippe, a 26-year-old who has represented Australia in both ODIs and T20Is, played a pivotal role by scoring a top-notch 90 runs off 88 balls at Allan Border Field. WA successfully chased down the target of 239 with 9.4 overs to spare, making a strong start in their quest for a third consecutive one-day domestic cup title. Despite missing out on a bonus point, they demonstrated their resilience, even with six players on international duty and others sidelined due to injuries.
WA faced early setbacks, with opener D’Arcy Short being dismissed for a first-ball duck and Cameron Bancroft contributing just 10 runs. However, Philippe’s remarkable partnership of 90 runs off 80 balls with Sam Whiteman (62 off 52) shifted the momentum in favor of WA. Philippe’s innings featured 10 fours and a six, showcasing his exceptional batting skills.
Cooper Connolly and Nick Hobson fell in consecutive balls in the 40th over, narrowly missing out on the bonus point. Nevertheless, a late surge of boundaries from Cooper Connolly, the hero of Perth Scorchers’ 2022-23 BBL final, and the steady captaincy of Ashton Turner brought WA close to victory.
On the other hand, Queensland paid the price for failing to convert several good starts into substantial scores, as they were bowled out for 238 with 22 balls remaining. Despite four of their top seven batters scoring at least 36 runs, no one managed to make a significant contribution except for Ben McDermott, who scored 52 off 69 balls. Queensland seemed well-placed at 102 for 1 in the 20th over but lost three wickets for just 19 runs.
Paceman Lance Morris made a successful return from a back issue, picking up crucial wickets for WA, even though he had an expensive start. Queensland lost five wickets for just 40 runs in the latter part of their innings.
One notable dismissal was Australian T20I and ODI representative Ben McDermott, who was run out while backing up too far after bowler AJ Tye deflected a Matt Renshaw straight drive onto the stumps. Max Bryant, Michael Neser, and Sam Heazlett were the other Queensland batsmen who failed to capitalize on their promising starts.
Josh Philippe provided the impetus for the WA chase and played a crucial role, while Sam Whiteman, fresh from his stint with English county Northamptonshire, displayed aggressive batting, contributing significantly to their victory. Whiteman’s innings included a remarkable ramp shot for six over fine leg. However, he was eventually dismissed after switching to an around-the-wicket angle by Neser, who induced him to chop the ball onto his stumps.