Cameron Bancroft guides Western Australia home after Jhye Richardson's haul
Marnus Labuschagne's medium pace proved handy as he claimed the wicket of Cameron Green
AAP
13-Nov-2021
Cameron Bancroft eased the visitors to their target • Getty Images
Western Australia 281 (Philippe 129, Green 53, Steketee 4-74) and 3 for 95 (Bancroft 47*) beat Queensland 129 (Khawaja 70, Morris 4-21) and 246 (Richardson 5-23) by seven wickets
Western Australia cruised to victory over Queensland in the Sheffield Shield at the Gabba on the back of an eight-wicket match haul from fringe Test quick Jhye Richardson.
The 25-year-old picked up the Bulls' final scalp early on Saturday to finish with 5 for 23 from 22.2 overs before his side ran down the 95-run target with seven wickets to spare.
Richardson, who made his Test debut in Brisbane two years ago, now has 16 wickets from three Shield matches this season at an average of 12.50. While Australia's top three quicks are locked in, competition is fierce among the likes of Richardson, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Scott Boland and Sean Abbott to be next cab off the rank.
Richardson also chipped in with a handy 38 in WA's first innings and recently notched a Shield half-century.
The Bulls added just two runs to their overnight score of 9 for 244, with Richardson removing Neser who was caught behind. Neser didn't bowl after tweaking his hamstring early in the match but is expected to be right by the first Ashes Test against England on December 8.
Former Test opener Cameron Bancroft guided WA home with an unbeaten 47 alongside Josh Philippe, who hit a first-innings ton.
Bowling ten overs of medium pace, Marnus Labuschagne removed talented Test allrounder Cameron Green, who left a ball that careered into the stumps. Labuschagne had Bancroft dropped twice while Steketee did his best, backing up his four first innings scalps.
Richardson picked up the big wickets of Joe Burns and Labuschagne on Friday, shouldering a greater workload in the absence of fellow quick Joel Paris who injured his hamstring on day one.
Queensland faced an uphill battle after being rolled for just 129 in their first innings. Khawaja scored a gritty 70 in tough conditions but managed just eight in the second innings as the Bulls' middle order fell away.
WA skipper Shaun Marsh was among the casualty list, the veteran hurt his calf in the first innings and didn't bat in the second.