WA's understudy attack set up innings victory over Victoria

Western Australia's second-string attack overwhelmed Victoria on a sluggish WACA pitch in an ominous start to their bid for a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles.

In a re-match of the last two Shield finals, WA once again had Victoria's number as they showed off their enviable depth of talent. Without frontline quicks Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Kelly and Joel Paris, WA's new-look pace attack produced a disciplined performance on the final day to bowl Victoria for a second time out shortly after tea.

Fringe quick Cameron Gannon was relentless, while left-arm debutant Liam Haskett shone with fast and aggressive bowling. With Morris and Richardson engaged in centre-wicket practice after the match, selection headaches loom for WA's hierarchy.

Tall offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli conjured sharp spin and found inconsistent bounce on a wearing pitch that finally started to play some tricks having been sedate throughout the match. Rocchiccioli finished with the remarkable figures of 3 for 14 from 26.2 overs, including 20 maidens.

Having taken three wickets on day one, Rocchiccioli outbowled Test offspinner Todd Murphy, who took just 1 for 141 off 32 overs in WA's first innings.

"He's going to keep getting better," WA captain Sam Whiteman said of Rocchiccioli. "The impressive thing is he's taking wickets at the WACA which is notorious for [a lack of] spin.

"I'm particularly proud of the bowling group, which is a completely different attack than what we finished with last season."

Allrounder Aaron Hardie capped a strong match by taking the early wicket of former Victoria captain Peter Handscomb. Hardie, who recently made his international limited overs debut, claimed five wickets for the match and made 48 at number five in WA's first innings.

WA's attack set up the victory after bowling out Victoria for 256 on day one before opener Cameron Bancroft scored a century to power them into a big lead.

With national selector Tony Dodemaide in the terraces, Bancroft made an early season statement to replace David Warner who is set to retire from Test cricket during the summer.

But it was a particularly lacklustre performance from Victoria, who were left to rue gifting wickets on day one and they never recovered. The return of Will Pucovski, who made 39 in Victoria's first innings, from an extended absence was encouraging, and so too was the final-day grit from nightwatchman Mitch Perry.

"Getting sick of losing to them [WA], so was enough motivation to stay out there as long as I could," said Perry, who made 43 from 173 balls.

Resuming at 64 for 3, still trailing by 161 runs, Victoria's hopes of avoiding defeat largely rested with Handscomb but he fell for 2 after being caught behind off a superb Hardie delivery. It ended a disappointing match for Handscomb, who has been keen to shake being pigeonholed as a subcontinent specialist. He lacked rhythm in a first innings of 31 from 85 balls and fell badly after miscuing a whip to point off a leading edge.

Hardie, who had opened the bowling, was in a fiery mood with a searing bouncer smashing into Perry's body and leaving him shaken. But Perry, something of a nightwatchman specialist, gamely fought on and found a willing partner in Jonathan Merlo, who was intent solely on defence.

Pinned back to the crease, Merlo excruciatingly faced 36 balls without a run. He finally opened his account with a push through covers for two runs before being clean bowled next ball by a cracking Gannon delivery.

Victoria shut up shop after lunch with captain Will Sutherland, normally such a belligerent batter, continuously blocking alongside Perry. They weren't particularly looking for runs, essentially taking turns holding up an end. Sutherland's 75-ball grind of 6 ended when Bancroft snared a sensational catch at short-leg off Haskett. Perry's rearguard finally ended shortly before tea as Victoria inevitably slumped to a hefty first-up defeat.