What is it about Perth?

“Go West young man”. It appears to be the new anthem for any fast bowler in Australia looking for a new home. Western Australia, long considered to be the breeding ground for fast bowlers, is now the migrating home for disillusioned 'quicks' seeking opportunities on pitches long considered to be the fastest and bounciest pitches in the world.

Ashley Noffke is the latest quick bowler to join the Western Australia Warriors. Nurtured in Queensland, Noffke has had a very public falling-out with the locals and has decided to move to Perth to begin anew the quest to add to his solitary ODI cap. A fine bowling allrounder with a high action and a good outswinger, he joins a West Australian attack that is virtually entirely "Made in Queensland". Steve Magoffin and Ben Edmondson were both fringe players in the Queensland system when they left home, unable to crack the pedigree attack of Michael Kasprowicz, Andy Bichel, Joey Dawes, Mitchell Johnson and Noffke himself. For Queensland, an embarrassment of riches has now become a fast bowling kindergarten again, having lost the first three of those players to retirement and the latter two names to the West.

Noffke’s defection seems to be the bitterest pill to swallow, judging by local reaction. The public appear to be pretty ‘dirty’ on the Queensland Bulls administration, blaming them for a lack of loyalty in only offering Noffke a one year contract and for suggesting that he be left in cotton wool for the longer version of the game only. To be fair to Queensland, it must be noted that it is their preferred policy to offer one year contracts to most senior players. It’s a curious tradition but one that Noffke is well aware of. Shunned by Australian selectors after a brief taste of international cricket and crippled by persistent injury last season, he clearly felt slighted by the offer of a short contract and decided to call a very public bluff by releasing a media statement through his manager. As far as ransom notes go, it fell flat. Hello Perth, hello Fremantle Doctor. Noffke will take plenty of wickets at the WACA if he stays fit.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why the fast bowling factory in Western Australia has dried up in recent times. There was a time not long ago when it was a fertile breeding ground for the best 'quicks' in the country. Dennis Lillee, Terry Alderman, Bruce Reid, Jo Angel, Brendon Julian and Chris Matthews came through that halcyon period. Ironically, Western Australia’s three most recent Test fast bowlers have all come from interstate – Matt Nicholson, Brad Williams and Mitchell Johnson (who moved to Perth to be closer to his partner). Even more ironically, Western Australia’s most recent Test bowlers have actually been spinners; Brad Hogg and a bit of part-time stuff from Marcus North. In the Lillee heyday when the WACA was by far the most feared pitch in the world, that would have been unthinkable.

Mind you, such ironies are not restricted only to Australia. West Indies captains have always turned to their giants to restrict opposition batsmen but who would have thought that it would be a slow left-arm orthodox bowler? Suleiman Benn is now the most reliable bowler available to Chris Gayle. What next – a 200 cm Indian fast bowler with a Bon Jovi hairstyle and a vicious bouncer? Never......

Whilst Queensland supporters are irate at their system for allowing Noffke to fly the coop, I can see why the CEO decided to hold his ground and not be held to ransom by one player. In an era where ‘player power’ rules supreme, it is a refreshing change to see a situation where a CEO sticks to a decision made on principle. This week, in the midst of a global recession when ordinary Australians are being asked to make sacrifices, our cricketers have just been given a pay rise and even the WAGs have been granted flight upgrades. They will no doubt regret losing a player of Noffke’s ability but at least the rest of their young squad realise that the selectors have enough faith in them to let him go without caving in to pressure from managers and blog sites. A glass is either half-full or half-empty. This is Queensland’s chance to show that the HQ of the national fast bowling factory is still in Brisbane.

Will there ever be another dynasty with the calibre of Rackemann, Kasprowicz, Bichel, Dale, Noffke, Johnson, McDermott, Muller etc? The name McDermott rings a bell….his son, Alister made his debut for the Bulls last season. There must be something in the water here!