Will Pucovski’s proverbial kick on the national selection door turned into a full-fledged roundhouse attack as he neared a second double century in a row to kick off the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.
When reigning Test opener Joe Burns failed to overtake 30 for a fourth straight inning at the start of the prime summer, Pucovski upgraded his qualification against the new ball, which he scored 183 unbeaten on the opening day of Victoria’s clash with Western Australia at Karen Rolton Oval.
The 22-year-old was promoted from his regular No. 3 to opening position at the start of the season but has now plundered 438 runs from the top of the Order without being sacked after his unbeaten 255 against South Australia last weekend.
Should he turn 200 on Monday, Pucovski will be the first batsman in this century to score consecutive double hundreds at the Sheffield Shield. Tasmanian Dene Hills was the last man to do the feat in the 1997/98 season.
Pucovski’s remarkable start in life, which opened the batting for Marcus Harris, also continued as the pair, who broke the competition partnership record with a monster score of 486 against SA, went on Sunday 186 for the first wicket against WA put up.
Harris had made 239 against the Redbacks, but had to settle for 71 after falling to an excellent catch from Sam Whiteman who proved WA’s only wicket on a tough day on the field. The Vics ended with 1-322 as captain Peter Handscomb (49 not out) went to Stump undefeated with Pucovski.
Handscomb, who revealed he would also have bowled first if the throw got in his way, has spent a lot of time watching the Harris-Pucovski partnership as Victoria’s No. 3 and suggested that both of them be ready for that Test level.
“I think I sat down about six times in two games just waiting to hit, but I never get tired of watching both Will and ‘Harry’ out there,” said Handscomb.
“To conclude a mammoth partnership last week and to back it up with a partnership that has lasted almost 200 years is enormous. It is huge for the team, and it is huge for their self-confidence.
“They both play beautiful strokes, they have good timing. It was not an easy wicket to measure the ball, but both of them managed to find gaps in the field and push the ball to the limit.
“I think both of them are pushing for their (test) cases. It’s not long since Harry opened his eyes to Australia in difficult conditions against two of the best bowlers in the world in (Jofra) Archer and (Stuart). Wide (during last year’s ashes).
“And ‘Puc’ in two hits opening batting took it well. If both of them get an opportunity at some point it would be great and they both seem ready.”
Burns has a reasonable claim to the opening Australian spot after scooping 256 runs out of 32 in five test wins last summer, including a 97 against Pakistan, but has been dropped several times under unfortunate circumstances.
Selectors pulled the pen on another reigning Queensland test opener in similar circumstances before the 2017-18 Ashes; Matthew Renshaw started the 2017/18 Shield season indifferently and was overlooked in the first test for the formidable Cameron Bancroft.
The fact that the current Test XI is firmer than it was three years ago, with most of the team staying the same since Ashes’ away streak ended last year, complicates any top-order change.
“I want it to be sorted out. There’s an old saying that it’s harder to get out of the test team than it should be – that’s how it should be,” coach and selector Justin Langer told SEN Radio last month.
“It means you have a team that is doing well, individuals are doing well. But that only happened because there used to be a cut-throat competition to join the Australian cricket team.”
“That’s what I want, and I’ve said it from day one. I want the players to knock on the door so hard that they can’t be ignored, so what does it do, the guys on the team, gee, you have to keep going.
Pucovski should have dropped out on 105 when D’Arcy Short dropped him at that point, but otherwise had total command. He was particularly strong on the back foot, pulling and hooking with little hesitation and no suggestion that short bowling might be an effective line of attack for bowlers aware of his previous concussion problems.
A flick for four through the middle of the wicket from a Cameron Gannon outswinger fishing well behind the stump, followed by a forceful kickback limit in the last hour of the day against the second new ball, highlighted the right-hander’s supreme confidence.
WA had to regret the missed chances of all three of Pucovski (admittedly only when he reached his sixth first class ton), Harris and Handscomb.
The lack of Ashton Agar (who returned to Perth for a refresher before the KFC BBL in a pre-agreed plan) Joel Paris (hamstring injury) as well as the over-limits for star all-rounder Cameron Green also proved indicative.
On a crystal clear 26 degree morning, Shaun Marsh was looking down, not up, when he decided to roll first on a playing field that looked even greener than the NSW on Gladys Elphick just a few hundred yards away for 64 Minutes would play park.
But it soon became clear that the opening day narrative of Victoria’s final game would be more similar to what was going on nearby when another Harris-Pucovski strike began.
Aside from frequent shouts of celebration from Tasmania’s bowlers from the other Shield game, the only sounds that pierced the warm morning air were those from the midst of the bats of the Victorian opener.
Harris sent his first two balls to the limit by Matt Kelly and Pucovski hit 10 of Aaron Hardie’s first past as WA struggled to control the new ball.
The always impressive green (0-15 out of eight overs) was the exception and his teammates were amazed that a low catch for Whiteman on the third slip, which he triggered on his first over before Harris, was not awarded. Referees indicated that the ball had ricocheted.
Green could have had another edge for Harris, which the jumping Cameron Bancroft had not narrowly missed on the second slip.
The sight of speedster Lance Morris hobbling away with a sprained ankle before lunch only added to their suffering when Pucovksi took the initiative by beating 42 of the 34 deliveries he faced immediately after the break.
Morris was able to resume bowling but it was expensive. WA instead turned to the recalled all-rounder Hilton Cartwright and Short, who twisted on the left arm of his wrist while the speed at the front paused for a breather.
Pucovski took off his helmet again as he picked up triple numbers out of 161 balls, and Harris seemed destined to rejoin him, but Whiteman stepped in and flew for cover from a leading edge after an excellent one-handed catch.
Pucovski should have gone off two balls later when he dove one in the air towards the point, but the looping trajectory of his cutting shot confused Short. He threw a hand over his head just for the ball to ricochet on a crucial missed opportunity.
Gannon was in disbelief when a loud lbw scream against Pucovski, this time on 116, was turned down with a delivery turned towards his pads.
WA’s miserable day was made worse when Handscomb edged and Bancroft, back over his head on the second slip, had a better chance than the earlier one before Harris.
Otherwise, mistakes were minor for his partner Pucovski, who blew out over 150 (of 234 balls) in the final session as the pair laid the platform for another big first innings record.
