Tuesday, 18 September 2018:

ASHTON TURNER of WA prepares to bowl during the JLT One Day Cup match between New South Wales and Western Australia at WACA in Perth, Australia.

One-day cup holders Western Australia have commenced their title defence with a strong four-wicket win over a rusty NSW at the WACA on Tuesday.

Ashton Turner helped steer WA home with an unbeaten four-laden innings of 70 from 55 balls as the home side reached 6-206 to pass the Blues with 17.4 overs to spare, earning a bonus point.

The match was highlighted by the performance of two debutants with WA opener Josh Philippe hitting an impressive run-a-ball 59.

Philippe was dismissed by another new face in Daniel Sams who took 3-46 with his sharp left-arm pace to give the Blues a sniff as WA slipped to 5-100.

However, Turner and Ashton Agar (28) survived some shoddy NSW fielding to put on 96 for the sixth wicket.

Sams earlier hit 62 to help NSW reach 204 off 43.4 overs after being 6-107.

In the process Sams became one of a handful of players to score a half-century and claim three wickets in a domestic one-day cup debut.

NSW got off to a poor start slipping to 4-56 with key men Daniel Hughes (12), Moises Henriques (5) and acting captain Kurtis Patterson (23) soon back in the pavilion.

Jack Edwards, one of four debutants in the match, also impressed with a confident 32.

WA's Test aspirant Jhye Richardson collected 2-44, while Andrew Tye returned the best figures (3-30).

There was a brief scare for Test squad member Agar who left the field early in NSW's innings after landing awkwardly in the field, but the spinner returned after a few overs and bowled as normal.

NSW suffered a blow on match eve with Peter Nevill suffering a broken thumb at training. Ghe consistent wicketkeeper is likely to miss the one-day cup campaign.

Western Australia went into the opening match of the season without three injury absentees in Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Kelly and bizarrely D'Arcy Short, who had not recovered after being bit on the hand by his dog.

AAP