Vics have job ahead
Thu, 4 March 2010
Western Australia is 3-82 and in a strong position at stumps on day one of the Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground having bowled Victoria out for 199 earlier on Wednesday. Victoria made a solid start after WA captain Marcus North sent them in to bat and were 2-101 at lunch, but then lost 6-54 shortly after and were all out without cracking the 200 mark. WA's openers then made a solid start to put on 37 before Wes Robinson fell for 18 trapped in front by Darren Pattinson. Liam Davis and North looked good in a 38-run stand and the skipper, in desperate need of a score, was getting himself settled until he again fell after making a start, this time for 20. Andrew McDonald's medium-pacers saw him caught at slip by Aaron Finch and it gives North scores of 29, four, 23, 15 and 20 in his last five Shield innings after averaging just 10 against Pakistan at No. 6 for Australia in the Test series. Davis continued to look solid and was joined by second-gamer Michael Swart, but the opener couldn't last until stumps as he nicked Bryce McGain's first leg-spin delivery to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade when on 42. That left nightwatchman Steve Magoffin to handle the last five balls of the day. He survived but both he and Swart are yet to score. Victoria started solidly although the Bushrangers were helped by WA teenager Mitch Marsh dropping both openers at slip. Chris Rogers was given the first life when on three. Magoffin caught a thick outside edge from his bat and it flew to third slip, where teenager Marsh couldn't hold it. Jewell also received a life on 16 and it was again the same culprit. This time the bowler was Brad Knowles, who found the edge and Marsh dropped it as he dove across Luke Pomersbach in second slip. Knowles eventually got the breakthrough when Rogers couldn't keep his hook shot down, the former Warrior hitting it right down the throat of Nathan Coulter-Nile at fine leg. Finch looked good as soon as he came to the wicket and hit three boundaries and a big six off North in his 24, until becoming over confident, North claiming him out caught and bowled just before lunch. Jewell had been the mainstay of the innings, but that all ended when he was out caught behind by Luke Ronchi off Knowles for 55 after 12 boundaries. McDonald was next to go when he was run out with a direct hit by Coulter-Nile, but there was never a run in it anyway. Captain David Hussey had looked good in his 17, but couldn't master the quality WA bowling either as he was caught behind to give Michael Hogan his first wicket of the match. Rob Quiney returned to the team but didn't make much of an impression as he was out for 11 and could have considered himself a little unlucky as it was Marsh who took the catch off Magoffin's bowling, and the 18-year-old just held on. Wade didn't last much longer than Quiney as he was out for 15, caught behind off Coulter-Nile, to leave Victoria at 7-150. It was then 8-155 when Damien Wright was clean bowled by Magoffin. Hastings and Pattinson then fought hard to put on 28 for the ninth wicket, but that came to an end when Pattinson was out for 12 caught in the slips by Luke Pomersbach off Hogan. Hastings continued to play his shots to help Victoria to 199, but McGain couldn't stick with him. Knowles claimed 3-66, Magoffin 2-22 and Hogan 2-48 to lead the way for WA with the ball. Victoria 1st innings Rogers c Coulter-Nile b Knowles 15 Jewell c Ronchi b Knowles 55 Finch c & b North 24 Hussey c Ronchi b Hogan 17 McDonald run out (Coulter-Nile) 6 Quiney c Marsh b Magoffin 11 Wade c Ronchi b Coulter-Nile 15 Hastings not out 28 Wright b Magoffin 4 Pattinson c Pomersbach b Hogan 12 McGain b Knowles 3 Extras: 9 (7lb, 2w) Total: 199 (10 wickets; 60.5 overs) FoW: 1-40, 2-89, 3-111, 4-117, 5-122, 6-144, 7-150, 8-155, 9-183 Bowling: Magoffin 15 - 6 - 22 - 2 Hogan 17 - 4 - 48 - 2 Knowles 13.5 - 0 - 66 - 3 (2w) Coulter-Nile 12 - 3 - 37 - 1 North 3 - 0 - 19 - 1 Western Australia 1st innings Robinson lbw b Pattinson 18 Davis c Wade b McGain 42 North c Finch b McDonald 20 Swart not out 0 Magoffin not out 0 Extras: 2 (2nb) Total: 82 (3 wickets; 34 overs) FoW: 1-37, 2-75, 3-82 Bowling: Wright 10 - 4 - 32 - 0 Pattinson 7 - 2 - 21 - 1 (1nb) McDonald 11 - 3 - 15 - 1 Hastings 5 - 1 - 14 - 0 (1nb) McGain 1 - 1 - 0 - 1
Chris Pike at the WACA Ground, Sportal
