Neser’s career best mark wins the Shield gong
Michael Neser has ended his career-best campaign with the ball by taking out the Marsh Sheffield Shield player of the season for 2022-23.
The Queensland fast bowler – who took 40 wickets and scored 357 runs – polled 20 votes to finish five ahead of Western Australia’s opening batsman Cameron Bancroft.
Victorian pair Marcus Harris (581 games at 41.5) and Will Sutherland (36 wickets and 383 runs) were tied for third on 13 votes, with the two umpires both giving 3-2-1 per match, which is the maximum six votes. available
Sheffield Shield player of the season top four
20 votes – Michael Neser
15 – Cameron Bancroft
13 – Marcus Harris
13 – Will Sutherland
In the top four, in cricket.com.au’s unofficial Sheffield Shield Team of the Tournament rankings, Sutherland was named captain after leading Victoria to this week’s final with four straight wins after the KFC BBL|12 break.
Neser’s 40 wickets bested a 2017-18 campaign but unfortunately he missed the Bulls’ final round in Tasmania in Hobart after rolling his ankle in the warm-up.
His partner-in-crime Mark Steketee – who was second only to Neser in the competition’s wickets with 38 – went down with a hip complaint on the first day and was off medication for the rest of the game as a draw relegated them to the Bulls. third below Victoria and missing out on a place in the Shield final.
Neser underlined all his credentials with his second first-class ton earlier in the season when he scored a career-best 136 against NSW in round two, taking the 200-wicket mark for Queensland in November when the Bulls routed him. Victoria in the fourth round of 63.
The 32-year-old’s form in the early stages of the season saw him claim his second Test cap, taking 2-34 and 3-22 as Australia crushed the West Indies by 419 runs in Adelaide in December.
The right-armer is again on holiday in New Zealand ahead of the county season with Glamorgan, with a call-up to the Ashes squad.
“I think it’s on every domestic cricketer’s bucket list to play a Test on an Ashes tour,” he told cricket.com.au ahead of the final game of the season.
“I haven’t done it yet, but it’s my dream, for sure.
“It’s certainly pleasing to see a lot of hard work pay off – 40 wickets is the mark of a really good season and I think it’s something all Shield bowlers aim for.”
Cameron Bancroft, who had the best Sheffield Shield season of his career with the bat, is also hoping to be on that Ashes tour.
The WA opener has excelled across all three formats this summer, playing a crucial role in the Perth Scorchers BBL and WA Marsh Cup titles with 1564 runs in 29 matches across the three competitions.
He also dominated the Sheffield Shield, finishing the regular season as the leading run-scorer with 880 at 58.66 with four centuries, 224 runs more than the next best.
He will also travel to England after this week’s Shield final on a short-term county deal to further boost his claims to bring back the Test.
“It’s probably going to be pretty easy for all the players, just play well and do the best you can,” Bancroft said earlier this month of his chances of Test recovery.
“It’s just being present, playing what’s in front of you now and that’s something I’m really focused on and I’m sure everything else will take care of itself.”
Bancroft and his WA teammates have the chance to make it back-to-back Shield titles when they play Victoria in the semi-final on Thursday, giving WA Cricket a chance to claim a rare treble with the state and Perth Scorchers currently holding Marsh One. -Day Cup and BBL titles.
As the Marsh Sheffield Shield final will be telecast live on Fox Cricket Kayo Sportsas well as live streaming for free on cricket.com.au and website CA Live App.
