Corey Rocchiccioli induced a collapse to register a five-for and restrict Victoria to 197
Oliver Peake made an impressive 52 on first-class debut aged 18 • Getty Images
Western Australia 10 for 1 (Bancroft 8*, Sutherland 1-2) trail Victoria 197 (Peake 52, Handscomb 48, Rocchiccioli 5-67, Paris 3-37) by 187 runs
Oliver Peake demonstrated his credentials as a long-term Test prospect with a fighting half-century in his first-class debut to top-score for Victoria on a tough WACA surface against Western Australia in a pivotal Sheffield Shield match.
Victoria made 197 with their first innings dominated by a 94-run fourth-wicket partnership between the highly-touted Peake and Peter Handscomb. WA had a tricky 15-minute period at the crease before stumps on day one and they lost skipper Sam Whiteman caught down the legside off Will Sutherland for a duck.
It was a good fightback from Victoria led by Peake. Coming to the crease at 5 for 2 in the seventh over, the left-handed batter was unflustered by the conditions and WA’s strong attack to finish with 52 off 168 balls.
The 18-year-old showcased solid defence and good judgement on a wicket doing plenty for the bowlers. The diminutive Peake was finally dismissed early in the final session after edging offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli to first slip. Having made his BBL debut this summer, Peake was a development tourist with Australia’s Test squad in Sri Lanka last month.
“It was really tough, but it was good to get in a partnership with Pete and see how a true professional goes about it. Took plenty out of it,” said Peake, whose father Clinton – a former first-class cricketer – was in attendance. “We batted pretty well to make 197 on that wicket, so we would take that.”
Both teams remain in the race to play South Australia in the final starting on March 26, but will need an outright victory and also Queensland and New South Wales to not win their respective matches.
With a very green pitch unveiled and grey clouds lurking above, Whiteman had no hesitation to bowl first. He had to be satisfied with his decision after the first delivery when left-arm quick Joel Paris beat the outside edge of Campbell Kellaway, who entered in form after scores of 79 and 77 last week against South Australia.
With the ball seaming wickedly around and rearing off the surface, the Victoria openers had a torrid time and former Test opener Marcus Harris succumbed for 2 after Cameron Bancroft took a sharp catch at second slip off Cameron Gannon.
Blake Macdonald was then bowled by a cracking inswinging delivery from left-arm quick Joel Paris, who was typically accurate with the new ball.
Peake had the toughest of initiations, but his nerves eased when he got off the mark after a fumble from Cooper Connolly at point allowed him an easy single that was greeted with cheers from his team-mates in the terraces.
But Peake couldn’t add to his tally for some time as he focused on firm defence to repel the threat. Peake did lose concentration when he tried to bludgeon Paris and he was fortunate to not get an edge.
With speedster Lance Morris missing the match due to load management, Whiteman in the 12th over turned to Rocchiccioli who enjoys coming in early due to his knack of producing bounce.
He proved a handful as he spun the ball sharply past the bat on several occasions. The bowling changes worked a treat with quick Brody Couch – a like-for-like replacement for Morris – striking in his first over after trapping Kellaway lbw with a full delivery that was spearing down the legside.
Kellaway was dismayed at the dismissal as Victoria slumped to 20 for 3. But Handscomb mustered his wealth of experience and provided a steadying presence alongside Peake as they fought through to lunch.
Much like last week’s drawn match between WA and NSW at the WACA, batting appeared to become easier against an older and softer ball. But runs continued to be hard to find with just three boundaries hit in the first half of the day’s play.
With the match in a stalemate, Whiteman brought on Hilton Cartwright whose handy seam bowling these days hovers at speeds of around 125 kph. But he hit a divot with his first ball that climbed steeply and whacked Handscomb on the thumb of his left hand.
Handscomb dropped his bat immediately and sought medical attention, but resumed batting and soon after – on his 103rd delivery faced – cracked his first boundary of the innings when he hit Gannon through point.
Peake’s third boundary was his best with a lovely cover drive off Cartwright and just before tea he reached his half-century off 153 balls in a landmark that was well appreciated by his team-mates.
But the break halted their momentum and the match flipped on resumption with Handscomb on 48 edging the hard-working Rocchiccioli to short leg. It triggered a collapse with Peake finally falling and Harry Dixon, another high-rated youngster, also falling to Rocchiccioli, who has a knack of taking wickets in clumps.
Rocchiccioli clinched his second five-wicket haul of his first-class career when Gannon took a blinder of a catch high to his right at slip to dismiss Peter Siddle.
Returning after a long stint abroad, where he made his Test debut and opened in the Champions Trophy semi-final against India, Connolly bowled just two overs and was wicketless.
Victoria are without spearhead Scott Boland, who did not travel to Perth as he manages knee soreness, with former WA quick David Moody playing his first Shield match in two years.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth
