Western Australia star Sam Whiteman fit to play first two games of the season despite breaking finger
Sam Whiteman has been declared a certain starter — and could be elevated to open the batting — in Western Australia’s first two one-day matches of the summer.
Whiteman was a surprise selection in WA’s squad for matches against New South Wales and South Australia on Sunday and Tuesday, a week after ruling himself out with a broken finger.
Sam Fanning, who made a compelling case in pre-season with a century in a two-day, was set to open the batting with D’Arcy Short, but was ruled out after he was struck by a ball at training on Thursday.
Captain Ashton Turner also revealed Keaton Critchell and Baxter Holt are in a race for the final batting spot in the side. Both were named in the 14-man squad that travelled to Sydney on Friday morning, but one option is for Cam Bancroft to take the gloves.
Cricket Australia-contracted pace pair Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson will “play some cricket” across the two matches, but Turner was coy on whether they would be managed.
Whiteman said last Thursday he had broken his finger and would “probably miss the one-dayers and target the first shield game”.
“D’Arcy will open the batting and we are still working out — there has been a late change, Sam Fanning was probably going to get that opportunity but unfortunately was hit in the head and was ruled out with concussion yesterday,” Turner said.
“Our two shield opening batters, Sam Whiteman and Cam Bancroft, they are going to be in the 11 so I feel like we have got a lot of options if we need an opening batter.
“Had you asked me a couple of weeks ago I would have told you he wasn’t available for these games, but he faced bowlers yesterday, he ticked every box he needed to tick to be available for selection.
“Fortunately the crack in his finger has been deemed OK to take a risk to play some cricket and we’re all the better for it.”
Turner said it was “frustrating” to have Morris and Richardson so tightly managed by the national program, but he said he understood WA is part of a “bigger picture” and that the pace twins are prized assets in Australian cricket.
Camera IconNew WA mens captain Sam Whiteman. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian
“They’re both going to play some cricket. We haven’t worked out what the final 11 for both games looks like, but you will definitely see both of them with WA colours on this week,” he said.
WA will take on former championship-winning teammate Josh Philippe and New South Wales on Sunday before meeting South Australia on Tuesday, both at Sydney’s Cricket Central.
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