Cam Bancroft has posted a fine hundred to inspire Western Australia to a dominant start to their Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia.
A day after Australia began their first Test in Cape Town since the Sandpapergate scandal eight years ago, one of its central figures was 10,000km away in Adelaide, where he brought up his 25th century for his State.
Bancroft came into his side’s clash with the back-to-back reigning shield winners in the midst of an early-season rut, having managed a top score of only 16 across his first four innings.
But the veteran opener bounced back to form in fine style at Adelaide Oval, spending the entirety of the game’s opening day at the crease in compiling an unbeaten and determined 156 from 289 deliveries.
He shared a 244-run second-wicket stand with fellow centurion Jayden Goodwin (108), whose third shield hundred doubled as his first in just over two years.
WA headed into stumps in a dominant position at 3-304 after the State’s stand-in captain Hilton Cartwright won what may prove to be an important toss and chose to bat on a surface which proved placid.
SA had some early joy when Sam Whiteman edged Nathan McAndrew to first slip to depart for one in the seventh over, but then had to toil for another 74 before making their next breakthrough.
After Bancroft slashed all-rounder Liam Scott to the boundary to reach three figures, Bancroft produced an emotional celebration, instantly pumping his fist before dropping to his knees as he removed his helmet.
Goodwin brought up his own hundred with a paddled sweep off SA off-spinner Ben Manenti but departed shortly after, being bowled from the third delivery with the second new ball sent down by two-Test seamer Brendan Doggett.
Cartwright, who is deputising for the injured Aaron Hardie as WA’s skipper, fell to McAndrew in the last over of the day for 27.
