'I'm back': Philippe finds red ball runs as Shield return looms

Josh Philippe has declared 'he's back' in red-ball cricket as the West Australian wicketkeeper-batter eyes a return to the state's Marsh Sheffield Shield side next week.

Philippe was today announced as the Marsh One-Day Cup Player of the Series following a stellar 50-over campaign where he finished the regular season as the competition's second highest run-scorer with 436 behind NSW's Daniel Hughes.

It's been the 25-year-old's best Marsh Cup campaign of his career, forming a formidable opening partnership with D'Arcy Short that's seen the pair average 78 from seven matches this season.

But it's been a "frustrating" summer for the right-hander in the game's other two formats, with Philippe finding himself out of WA's Sheffield Shield side when reserve Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis returned to state duties for the first time in over a year last November.

Philippe's 78 runs at 9.75 from his eight Shield innings this season has been the least productive of his five-year career, with his KFC BBL|12 for Sydney Sixers (266 run at 17.73) also his leanest return of his five full seasons.

But with Inglis departing for India following Wednesday's Marsh Cup final against South Australia for a three-match ODI series beginning on March 17, Philippe is set for a red-ball recall and a crack at back-to-back Shield titles with WA also set to host that domestic final later this month.

And Philippe does so after rediscovering his red-ball touch with a scintillating 119-ball 161 for the WA second XI last month that included 21 boundaries and four sixes.

"I feel like I'm back, it's a nice feeling to be back in the runs," Philippe said in Perth today ahead of Wednesday's 50-over decider at the WACA.

"A little bit frustrating … is a good way to sum up the year.

"My one-day cricket for whatever reason this year has been really consistent, and it's probably been the format I've most trusted my game (in)."

While Philippe admits he wouldn't be putting his hand up to open in red-ball cricket when he returns for WA, he said being at the top in the white-ball formats suited his game.

"Definitely having a position I know I'm batting every week in the one-day side (helps)," he said.

"I'm really clear on what my role is at the top of the order there, so that's no doubt a reason why I've probably been quite consistent.

"Obviously, it wasn't the (Big Bash) campaign I was hoping for … I've definitely had a look back, reviewed and reflected on quite a few things.

"And I guess I've come out and got a few runs back under the belt now (and) I'm feeling a lot more confident about my game."

Philippe won the Marsh Cup Player of the Series award by one vote ahead of NSW opener Hughes whose four centuries equalled Brad Hodge and Phil Jaques's record for the most hundreds in a single One-Day Cup season.

The left-hander's scintillating form in the 50-over format – he holds the competition's second highest average (59.62) of all-time and is one of only seven batters to score 10 or more centuries in the One-Day Cup – has led to calls for his elevation to the national side with an ODI World Cup in India on the horizon later this year.

However, Hughes's summer looks set to finish early after he injured his calf taking off for a run in NSW's Shield defeat to Victoria last week.

Philippe polled 22 votes, with Hughes on 21, with South Australia's Nathan McSweeney (12) and WA's Cameron Bancroft (11) rounding out the top four.

Philippe will be out to claim consecutive Marsh Cup titles with WA tomorrow when they face South Australia in the final at the WACA beginning at 12.05pm AWST (3.05pm AEDT) live on cricket.com.au, the CA Live app, Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports.