A season of complete frustration for the Hobart cricketing public continued at the Bellerive Oval as the final day of the Sheffield Shield match between Tasmania and Western Australia was frustratingly rained out just when it seemed that an exciting finish to the contest was in store.  When heavy overnight and morning rain combined to ensure that there would be no play on the scheduled fourth and final day of a match that had promised a great deal over its first three, so Tasmania's slim 1998/99 Sheffield Shield hopes - and, more significantly, Western Australia's aspirations of hosting its second Shield Final in successive seasons - suffered an all but fatal blow.  In the washup (both literal and metaphorical), the Warriors took two first innings points from the contest - their 9/358 proving superior to the Tasmanian response of 326. 

Whilst the vagaries of Hobart's weather (after its driest January in around 100 years) did leave a sour taste at its conclusion, the game will nevertheless still be remembered for some positive play from both teams after something of a slow start.  The exciting batting of Simon Katich and Ryan Campbell for the visitors, and Daniel Marsh for the home team, will indeed remain enduring highlights for the small number of spectators who were privileged enough to witness their play.  Similarly, the hostile (albeit erratic) bowling of speedster Matthew Nicholson, and the lion-hearted efforts of Tasmanian star, Colin Miller, were most enjoyable to watch.

Katich (154* and 19*), in particular, underlined his enormous potential in the WA first innings in registering his fourth and highest first class century of what has been an outstanding season.  In a defiant exhibition which began toward the end of two slow sessions - in which Michael Dighton (18), Michael Hussey (31) and especially Justin Langer (53) had all, by complete contrast, struggled to discover their timing and placement Katich could barely have been more impressive. 

On a pitch positioned at the eastern extremity of the Bellerive square, the young left hander played a chanceless hand - producing textbook-based strokes to all parts of the ground.  Moreover, it was an innings of considerable maturity - a quality perhaps most clearly in evidence when he was able to accelerate rapidly to his century when some grey clouds descended on the ground late on the first afternoon and threatened to halt the game with him marooned on 91.  Although he was essentially the guilty party in the needless run out of Rob Baker (0) - the last in a string of three quick afternoon wickets which looked like giving a Tasmanian attack led by the indefatigable Miller (4/104) the edge by stumps on day one Katich's performance was ultimately the difference between the teams in the battle for first innings points.  Well supported late in the innings by an equally attacking Ryan Campbell (who went on to compile the impressive double of 79 and 72), he indeed not only guaranteed that the fixture experienced a real lift in tempo but also steered WA from apparent danger at 5/198 to the ultimate safety of a scoreline of 9/358 by the time that his captain, Tom Moody, declared the innings closed 22 minutes before lunch on day two.

In much the same fashion as Katich had done a day earlier, Tasmania's Daniel Marsh (123) also produced a stunning individual innings in this match.  Adopting a typically belligerent approach, the young right hander rescued the Tasmanians from a disastrous start by belligerently electing to attack at all costs.  On a wicket that had earlier appeared to resemble a minefield as some hostile pace bowling from Nicholson (5/75) and Jo Angel (3/59) reduced the Tigers to a precarious 3/13, Marsh  made things look positively tame from the moment that he appeared at the crease.  He reserved a particularly ferocious degree of punishment for Moody, whose medium pacers he pulled and hooked repeatedly over mid wicket - and even on to the Bellerive hill on two separate occasions.  Although his attempts were delayed by an almost needless three hour interruption to the game at the beginning of day three (when umpires Jackman and Parry decreed that play should not begin in the face of what appeared to be no more than very occasional drizzle), he never really looked likely to be denied a deserved maiden Shield century.  In a whirlwind display, it was his shots on the leg side which were the most memorable but he also played a number of impressive square cuts and he drove the ball with immense power through both mid off and the covers.

Notwithstanding that the failures of Jamie Cox (0), Michael DiVenuto (0) and Shaun Young (1) early in the innings had left the side in considerable bother, such was the authoritative nature of Marsh's effort that the Tasmanians appeared capable of grabbing the first innings points for as long as he remained at the wicket.  Indeed, it was only when he played over the top of a well-directed Nicholson yorker after a stay of 162 balls - to leave the score at 9/321 - that the Tigers were ever truly out of the contest.

The Tasmanians eventually finished thirty-two runs short, leaving Western Australia around three hours in which to start the job of opening up the possibility of an outright result.  This was a task to which they responded well - Campbell assuming the starring role (this time in his more familiar position as an opener) as they hammered their way to a score of 2/162, and an overall lead of 194, by the time that bad light intervened three overs short of the scheduled close of day three.  It was a bright effort which enthralled the small crowd and which seemed to be pushing the match toward a fascinating finale.  But Hobart's weather then spoiled the party ensuring that it was, in the end, merely a sense of annoyance which was the most palpable emotion to be taken away by all of those involved in the game.

Cruelly, the Western Australians - for all of their spirited play in this match - leave Hobart with precisely the same amount of points as their closest rivals, Victoria, did earlier in the year when they played in the most negative fashion imaginable over four beautiful days of weather in Hobart.  Consequently, they will need to work especially hard in their two remaining fixtures to bridge the six and four point gaps which suddenly separate them from Queensland and the Victorians respectively on the Sheffield Shield points table.  With all thoughts of qualifying for a place in its second successive Shield Final now gone, Tasmania meanwhile must focus on the rather uninspiring assignment of staying in front of New South Wales in order to avoid the wooden spoon in this year's competition.

Contributed by John Polack (polack@cricinfo.com)