Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine is continually frustrated by the cricket played in the Sheffield Shield.
Taking a close look at the game between Tasmania and Western Australia which finished in a draw on Day 4 on Monday, Paine was disappointed to see neither team push for a win.
While a win would have been unlikely at the start of the day when WA started batting with a target of 450 set, they finished on 2/242 with 25 overs remaining with Cameron Green and Cameron Bancroft both not out on centuries.
Paine thinks at the very least that the home side should have bowled late on Day 3 to try and make inroads into the WA lineup.
“Shield cricket just keeps disappointing me if I'm totally honest,” Paine told SEN Tassie Breakfast.
“That was a game that both teams could have won, and no one tried to win it.
“I think Tasmania could have declared earlier. They could have put the foot on the gas earlier in their second batting innings to get as many runs as they wanted. I don't care about the runs, but they should have been bowling the night before.
“I'm sure there's a reason … but I was a bit frustrated with that from a Tasmanian point of view and I know the wickets flat at Bellerive and it's hard to get wickets on the last day.
“But I also know to get wickets on the last day, you've got to set a team a total that they can get, so they're constantly chasing and playing shots which allows you to create opportunities.
“Tassie should have bowled the night before, even if it was 20 minutes. Show the intent that you're trying to win the game.”
With 25 overs remaining and 208 runs needed to win, Paine thinks WA also could have chased the target as they needed just 8.32 runs an over.
As the batting order possessed genuine firepower, Paine thinks they could have done more to at least attempt to win, particularly as two guns were at the crease on triple figures.
“Did you see the score when the game was called off?” Paine asked. “Western Australia were 2/242, you’ve got two guys, two of the best players in the competition on 100 not out.
“For the next 25 overs, you're chasing eight an over. Why wouldn't they have tried to get there?
“They had Hilton Cartwright coming in, Aaron Hardie, Josh Phillippe and you’ve got Cameron Green on 100 and Cameron Bancroft on 100.
“You need eight and over. It's like chasing 160 in a 20-over game.
“What is going on? Why aren't teams trying to win games of cricket? Both teams could have won that game and neither tried.”
Even though the draw meant that Tasmania remained first and WA remained third and in touching distance of Victoria in second, Paine thinks that playing for draws isn’t great for the game and he thinks that players need to show they can win at the state level to go on and represent their country.
“It's not great for the game,” Paine said.
“I probably would have gone and watched with the two batters that were in and the game being up in the air.
“If guys want to play cricket for Australia, you’ve got to win games for your state and you’ve got to stand up in moments like that afternoon.
“We would have loved to have seen Riley Meredith steam in and bowl them out.
“From a WA perspective, imagine if Cameron Green got 180 not out, what a statement that would have been to the Australian selectors before the New Zealand Tour.
“You want to see players performing under pressure when the game is on the line, not in a second innings when we're just playing for draws.”
Tasmania’s next Shield game begins on Friday, March 1 where they host Victoria in a battle for top spot.