Western Australia 460 by December 9 (Cartwright 153, Goodwin 94, Agar 74, Fanning 68, Kuhnemann 5-100) won Tasmania 317 (Owen 83, Jewell 61, Paris 4-45) and 98 (Agar 3-12, Couch 3-15) for one innings and 45 runs
WA extended their lead at the top of the Sheffield Shield ladder with a comprehensive thrashing of Tasmania in Hobart, with left-arm spinner Agar claiming 3 for 12 in 17.5 Tests in the second innings.
Couch had Jake Doran lbw, before Lawrence Neil-Smith clipped a ball onto the stumps and Couch bowled cleanly to Sam Elliott. The three wickets came in the first over after tea, ending any hopes of Tasmania maintaining a draw after starting the final session at 89 for 6.
Agar’s strong performance came after New Zealand left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel played crucial roles in a historic 3-0 Test series victory in India.
Last week, Australian chairman of selectors Bailey said left-arm orthodox spin was “an incredible skill on the subcontinent”, with a series in Sri Lanka next year on the horizon.
“Realistically, there aren’t a huge number of players in domestic cricket who are doing it, so it’s something we’re looking to expose,” Bailey said.
Agar showed great variety on the final day and dried up the runs, allowing the attacking pace at the other end to also shine.
WA, winners of the last three Shield titles, had earlier taken a 143-run first innings lead. The hosts resumed play at 10 for 2, needing one of their best players to go for a big score.
It was not to be, as left-arm quick Joel Paris bowled a pearl to Charlie Wakim to catch him lbw without disturbing the scorers until the fifth ball of the morning.
Night watchman Gabe Bell was destroyed by a perfect left-arm orthodox delivery from Agar that curled and spun to hit the top of stump. Captain Jordan Silk was unable to get underway and was trapped ahead by an Agar dragger.
Paris, 31, showed why he is one of the leading exponents of left-arm bowling in the country. His 2 for 18 in the second innings complemented the 4 for 45 he took in the first. At times it seemed unplayable on a surface that offered very little.
WA’s performance was all the more creditable considering strike bowler Matthew Kelly was dropped after suffering a hamstring injury in the first innings.
