Bancroft axed for crucial WA Sheffield Shield game

Cameron Bancroft has gone from Ashes opener to state discard in the space of six months after Western Australia dropped the out-of-sorts batsman for their must-win Marsh Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground.

WA selectors have finally lost patience with Bancroft, who begun the summer as a surprise inclusion in the Test squad but has managed just 158 runs at 13.16 with a top score of 30 from 13 Shield innings this season.

The returns of Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis from Australia A duties created a squeeze as young guns Cameron Green and Josh Philippe, along with Jake Carder, Sam Whiteman and skipper Shaun Marsh, were picked over him.

"Cameron Bancroft is a quality player, ultimately he hasn't been at his best this season which sees him miss this match," said coach Adam Voges. "We are looking forward to seeing him bounce back."

WA are in fourth place on the Shield standings in a tight pack vying for second spot behind runaway leaders NSW for a berth in the final, likely to be played in Wollongong.

Pacemen Liam Guthrie and Josh Nicholas also return for WA for the game beginning Friday, with tall quick Simon Mackin omitted.

Queensland, who welcome back a massive five players from the recent Australia A game against England Lions that overlapped with the most recent Shield round, currently sit second but WA could overtake them with a victory.

State captain Usman Khawaja, allrounder Jack Wildermuth, leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and fast bowlers Michael Neser and Mark Steketee all come back into the squad for the Bulls' trip to Perth.

Xavier Bartlett holds his spot in the side after his maiden five-wicket haul against Victoria, but Brendan Doggett, Billy Stanlake, Max Bryant, Lachlan Pfeffer and Blake Edwards all drop out.

Bancroft played the first two Ashes Tests in August in his international comeback following his nine-month ban for his role in the ball-tampering scandal, but was dropped for Marcus Harris after failing to pass 16 in what was admittedly a difficult series for both team's opening batters.

While he earned a surprise recall to the Test squad to begin the home summer, Joe Burns was preferred and held his spot through the five Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand.

The 27-year-old Bancroft found himself in the midst of an unusual streak of being dismissed to catches at leg-slip and leg-gully, going out six times in seven innings caught behind the wicket in close on the leg-side.

It's been an up-and-down year for some of the state's big names, with Bancroft joining fellow Australian representatives Ashton Turner, the state's vice captain, and Hilton Cartwright on the sidelines of WA's four-day side.

Australia white-ball bowlers Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye and Nathan Coulter-Nile all remain unavailable for the Shield team as well.

Western Australia will be desperate for an improved showing after last week's defeat to bottom-placed Tasmania, not least for captain Shaun Marsh who recorded a pair.

Harris and Nic Maddinson will meanwhile return to Victoria's line-up after the Australia A match while wicketkeeper Sam Harper is back in the side after recovering from concussion.

However, there's no return for Will Pucovski who suffered a head knock after falling while running a single in a one-day match against the England Lions in early February, and is now no certainty to return at all this season.

The Vics have also rotated their fast bowling brigade with Andrew Fekete coming in for Chris Tremain.

South Australia have recalled Jake Lehmann after a prolific run of form in Premier Cricket and a big score with the Cricket Australia XI against the touring Lions in Hobart.

Daniel Worrall also comes back into the South Australian side after missing last week's match against NSW as he makes his way back from a long-term back injury.

Will Bosisto and Nick Winter made way for the pair.

Western Australia squad: Shaun Marsh (c), Jake Carder, Cam Green, Liam Guthrie, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, David Moody, Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Marcus Stoinis, Sam Whiteman, Josh Nicholas.

Queensland squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, James Peirson, Bryce Street, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth.

South Australia: Travis Head (c), Wes Agar, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Joe Mennie, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Chadd Sayers, Jake Weatherald, Daniel Worrall.

Victoria: Peter Handscomb (c), Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Andrew Fekete, Seb Gotch, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Nic Maddinson, Wil Parker, Matthew Short, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland.