WA all out in a slow first day for Queensland
Queensland won the toss and elected to bowl. The word is that - the outcome of the toss was beneficial to WA - who from our sources said that they had no idea what they would have elected to do.
In last nights game Qld beat WA 5 runs in a thrilling day/night Mercantile Mutual Cup encounter. Coming in to that game Tom Moody announced that he was not terribly happy about the idea of nay/night Sheffield Shield matches. Mike Hussey backed up this statement adding that Sheffield Shield was the preparation ground for future Australian Test match players, and pointed out that nobody currently plays day/night test matches.
The umpires for this match are Randolph Wooldridge and John Smeeton.
The pitch was green and flat at the start of the afternoon.
There have been some changes to the teams that were expected to line up for this match - former NSW player Steve Nikitaras has replaced Sean Cary in the bowling line up for WA and Mick Miller is in for the Bulls.
The only other notable news was that Ryan Campbell has been dropped from the opening position down the order and effectively plays as a wicketkeeper at no. 6.
Play started at 15:00 locally. Michael Dighton was the first wicket to fall. He had defensive prod at rising ball outside off stump and sent an easy catch through to Qld captain/keeper Ian Healy off the bowling of Andy Bichel to be out for a rather slow 2. WA 11/1 were then 1/23 at the first drinks break.
Nothing of significance happened during the hour that led up to tea. There were a few runout attempts, and a couple of LBW appeals. Umpire Woolridge turned down an appeal for a catch behind by Miller when Langer was on 24. Next over Dawes thought he had Langer on 25 caught behind only to be turned down by umpire Smeeton. At tea WA had steadied to be 69/1.
Play restarted at 17:20 locally. Fielding at short leg - Michael Miller was struck on the body by a ball struck firmly by Langer from the bowling of Dawes. Frustration may have got the better of Justin Langer when he was run out on 35 just 20 minutes short of the drink break trying to steal a run. WA had progressed slowly to 87/2. The new batsman Simon Katich brought the Western Australian total to 101 with cracking a 4 off the bowling of Andy Bichel. Michael Kasprowicz started a new spell by producing a yorker first ball, which was well kept out by the batsman Hussey. Mike Hussey brought up his personal half century with a second 4 off the same Kasprowicz over. At the end of the hour when drinks were taken WA were 113/2.
2 wickets fell in the latter part of the middle session. Hussey played across line of a ball, which kept low to be adjudged out lbw to Symonds for 62. Moody got off the mark but Kasprowicz had him caught by Miller in the gully for 1. Baker came to the crease and together with Katich pushed the WA score along to 144/4 at the dinner break.
Play was restarted at 20:00 local time. 3 wickets fell in the first part of the final session. Katich 26 caught by Hayden off the bowling of Symonds. Campbell replaced Katich and was off to a great start driving straight for 4. He was the next wicket caught by Healy off the bowling of Symonds for 8. Matt Nicholson replaced Campbell but did not last long. He was caught by Foley becoming Symonds' 4th victim after amassing a total score of 13. Angel joined Baker and defended his way to the drinks break whereupon WA was in trouble 199/7.
The final 2 wickets and a change of innings made up the final hour of the last session. Baker took WA past the 200 mark with a splendid 4 off Miller 2 overs in. Jo Angel scored his third run with a single and then - when the strike was returned to him in the same over; played back and was struck upon the pad and given out lbw to Stuart Law on the last ball of the over. Oldroyd only faced 4 deliveries. He was up the other end when Baker reached his 50 with a straight driven single. The 4th delivery that Oldroyd faced - was bowled by Stuart Law who had him caught at second slip by Foley without scoring. Debutant Steve Nikitaras joined Baker in a last wicket stand of 32 runs during which Nikitaras hit Stuart Law for a towering straight six high over the on side and into the Lillee Marsh stand. Bakers wicket fell when he spooned a slip practice style catch to 2nd slip Stuart Law off the bowling of Andy Bichel. WA was all out for 245.
For the Queenslanders Andrew Symonds headed the bowling figures with 4/39, Law had 2/22 and Bichel 2/56. Kasprowicz was fearsome but only managed 1/33 from his 16 overs. The fielding had improved somewhat from their efforts of the night before but sadly they were behind in over rate.
With the close of play approaching it was decided that Qld would have to face 6 overs before the end of the evenings play. Hayden and Maher did this without incident. Queensland start tomorrow with 12 runs on the board, a full quota of wickets and an easy chase ahead of them. The evening's play finished at 22:17 local time.
Day 2 of 4
Law Century takes Queensland to the first innings points.
An unbeaten 100 by Stuart Law is the main high light of a good day of cricket at the WACA. Resuming at 0/12 WA took a wicket every hour till the hour after dinner. Then in the final hour took 2 to make up for the lack of wickets in the preceding hour.
WA in their first innings was all out shortly before stumps on the first day for 245. Baker on 73 and Hussey on 62 were the high scores for WA. The bowling for Qld was A Symonds 39/4, SG Law 22/2 & AJ Bichel 56/2. Qld faced 6 overs before stumps on the first day to be 12 runs without loss.
The day unfolded with some light drama as Tom Moody took Rick Evens out into the middle to explain his displeasure with a decision by umpire John Smeeton who had warned Matthew Nicholson for running onto the ``Danger Area'' part of the wicket the night before. Last night Tom Moody stayed out on the field with the official umpires Smeeton and Randolph Woolridge and when he returned to the player's race seemed visibly fired up about something. There is no official match referee for Sheffield Shield Matches but WACA staff tell me that Rick Evans is often called upon when there is a dispute about a standing umpires ruling.
The first session commenced with Hayden 7* and Maher 4*. Hayden was out in the 1st hour snicking a catch through to wicketkeeper Campbell from the bowling of Jo Angel for 20. When this wicket fell QLD had only 42 runs on the score board.
Also in this hour was the debut of former NSW left arm quick - Steve Nikitaras who came in from the Lillee Marsh (or southern) end of the ground. With the breeze at his back he bowled a little waywardly at first including a few full tosses. He was probably coming to terms with the bounce of the traditional style of WACA wicket and may have been punished for it trying to bowl too full. His first stint (of 5 overs) cost WA 19 runs.
At the start of the 2nd hour Jimmy Maher top edged a shortish ball from Tom Moody to the gully region where Campbell had raced around to take it comfortably. There were a lot of angry sounds coming from the change rooms after Mr Maher had gone in. QLD now 66/2.
Love had made 18* and Law 17* when play resumed after tea. Love faced only 5 balls when he followed a wide rising ball to be caught at second slip by Tom Moody and thus became Nicholsons' only victim of the day. Qld 3/89.
Half way thru in the hour preceding dinner Stuart Law arrived at 50 runs with a thick edge through the slips to the fence for four. The 50 arrived in 128 mins from 104 balls including 8 fours. This coincided with the 150 runs for the visiting team.
With Qld on 175, Symonds tried driving at Brad Oldroyd getting an outside edge that went straight to Tom Moody in the 1st slip position. His wicket fell a quarter of an hour before the dinner interval.
The final session commenced with Law on 78* and Foley 4* and Qld 4/187. The Western Australians slowed the run rate down somewhat with 10 maidens bowled in a 19 over hour.
Foley posted the 200 run mark for the visitors with a lofted on drive to deep mid wicket picking up 2 runs. The next ball he lofted an off drive over the long off fence for the only 6 of the innings so far. For the remainder of this Brad Oldroyd over he was more circumspect.
Stuart Law was given a life on 94 when the TV umpire Keith Rinaldi was called upon to make a decision about a catch taken by Michael Dighton at mid off. Umpire Woolridge was unable to make up his mind whether or not the ball had carried. Dighton seemed sure that it had. The replay inline with wicket was marred by the effect of the luminous orange coloured ball blurring and the carry being indeterminable. The side view provided by Optusvision had Dighton out of shot when the moment was recorded. The green light came on and Law stayed. The new ball was taken when it became available and soon after Law brought up his century with two runs, turning a Nicholson delivery off his pads to mid wicket. Law's 33rd first class century was stylishly delivered in 3 hours 27 minutes off 182 balls including 15 fours.
With the second delivery of the final hour, Law took 3 runs off Jo Angel to take Queensland past the Western Australian total of 245 thereby handing them the first innings points.
The 2nd new ball was only 21 overs old when Tom Moody tossed it to Mike Hussey. He had first class bowling stats of 11.4 overs 3 maidens' 0 wickets for 41 runs. The first delivery was a low full toss, dispatched by Law to the mid wicket boundary for four. Law then blocked and pushed at the following balls without extending the 1st innings lead of 34 runs. Next Hussey over Foley defended 4 balls and then got an inside edge through to the wicketkeeper Campbell. The jubilation on the face of Mike Hussey with his first ever first class wicket was well worth the gate money that we had paid to witness it. Indeed he was still grinning like the Cheshire cat as he made his way back to the pavillion at the end of the days play. His stats now read 14.4 overs 4 maidens 1 wicket for 46 runs.
While we're discussing Hussey's (there are a few about.) Younger brother David is a batsman to keep an eye out for in the future. A few weeks ago David carted 150+ in a grade game. This is by no means an isolated high score - the word is that his game is brash and improving all the time. It won't be long before there may be 2 Husseys in the WA team - I am sure.
Ian Healy came to the crease with 2.2 overs to go. Pushed defensively at the first delivery then got a thick edge carying low past the gully fieldsman to third man, and ran a single. Next ball of a new over from Brad Oldroyd was contemptuously late cut past first slip through the vacant third man for 4 runs. But the ball after that sparked a new controversy. Healy played back and was taken high on the pad and given out by umpire Woolridge. Healy walked briskly to the rooms and then exploded once inside. Watching the replay I am inclined to agree with him - the ball pitched middle and leg and he was struck having risen up on his toes by the ball hitting the top flap of the pad -- way too high to be given out. Controversial decisions by the umpire with the least first class experience.
Defending their way to stumps 10 balls later and so with the score on 285 / 6; Law 129* and Miller 0* will resume to further increase their first innings lead of 40 runs in the early on Monday afternoon.
Day 3 of 4
WA wickets have Queensland in a strong position going into the final day's play.
The Western Warriors have a 31 run lead but only 2 wickets remaining after Queensland bettered their 1st innings score of 245 by 130 runs (375 all out)
The afternoon started slowly for WA as Stuart Law posted his 150th run with square drive of lifting ball to just short of fence from the 5th ball of Nicholson's 23rd over.
Shortly after the first drinks break, the wicket of Miller fell lbw to Hussey (his 2nd wicket) for 29. From watching TV replay this was another awful decision following Healy's dubious decision by umpire Woolridge. Law was joined by Bichel but did not last much longer. Brad Oldroyd ran out Law on 168. Kasprowicz joined Bichel and together forged a 9th wicket partnership of 18 runs whereupon Angel dismissed Bichel who attempting to cut too close to the body, edged the ball through to keeper Campbell for 9 runs. The last batsman to come in for Qld was Joe Dawes. He put on only 3 runs falling to Angel - sending at wide ball straight to Moody at second slip.
The Queenslanders had put WA 130 runs in the red (deficit.)
Hussey and Dighton came in to open the innings for WA after tea. A short run was scored in the 10th over. In the 13th over Michael Dighton was adjudged not out lbw to Kasprowicz on 7. At the drink break WA was 35/0.
In the second hour of the middle session some excellent fielding by Symonds diving outstretched saved a certain 4 runs. Hussey brought up the 50 for WA pulling Bichel in the air in front of square leg to the fence for 4 runs. The very next ball he was out hooking Bichel directly to wide fine leg where Dawes caught him for 29. Langer replaced Hussey and with Dighton survived until the dinner break. When WA was 82/1.
First ball after the dinner break, Langer 19 was caught brilliantly by Ian Healy who dived in front first slip off the bowling of Kasprowicz. Katich joined Dighton who mysteriously walked when Ian Healy duped him into believing that a catch behind off the bowling of Kasprowicz had been taken. Kasprowicz had been previously peppering him with short balls. The umpire was unmoved and replays show clearly that the ball was not edged. Dighton went shortly before the last session drinks break for 30. Moody survived the drinks break with WA on 109/3.
Shortly after the drinks were taken Moody attempted to hook at Symonds and caught a top edge that looped up to be caught at mid wicket by Maher for 8. Baker joined Katich who did not stick around - on 26 he attempted to drive Symonds, got a faint edge and was caught easily by keeper Ian Healy. Campbell replaced Katich. Slow bowling took the game into the 7th hour of the evening's play. Baker attempted pull shot off Bichel that popped up to Symonds at mid on and was out for 17. Nicholson faced the last two balls of the over and then next Bichel over - got an inside edge to be well caught by Healy without scoring. Angel was out lbw to Symonds for 2 on the last ball of the evening. WA is now 161/8 with a second innings lead of 31 runs but has only 2 wickets.
For Queensland the wickets went to Symonds 3/17, Bichel 3/52 and Kasprowicz 2/32. Symonds proved dangerous in the field - but to be fair the fielding wasn't all that good really.
WA is in a perilous position going into the final evening of this day/night fixture.
Day 4 of 4
Queensland win outright defeating top of the table WA by 6 wickets
Campbell was joined by Brad Oldroyd when play started this afternoon. Fearing that he would not spend some quality time out in the middle Campbell set about protecting Oldroyd from the strike. This proved needless as both batsmen survived the first hour to drinks.
After drinks Campbell played a classic square cut that wound up just 2 metres inside the boundary rope. They only ran 1 for a shot that should have had at least 3 scored off it. This brought Campbell to 48 runs and with over being called - on strike at the other end for the next over. First ball of this over Campbell skyed a Kasprowicz ball high to mid off which was caught easily by Maher. Nikitaras came to the crease and got off the mark with a single on the second ball he faced. Oldroyd was caught behind for 15 when a Bichel short ball took the shoulder of the bat went under his armpit and on through to Ian Healy, to wrap up the innings. Nikitaras remained unbeaten on 1 and WA had crashed to 209 all out with a lead of a mere 79 runs.
The heavy roller was used in the change over. The bar started a sweep about how long the Queenslanders would take to reach 80 runs. I wanted a how many wickets but none would oblige me.
Hayden and Maher came out for the Queenslanders. Hayden was in a belligerent mood. At the tea break he had scored 7 fours whilst Maher's only scoring shot was for 2. After just 9 overs Qld was 37/0.
In the third over after tea Disaster struck the Queensland team. Maher lofted Nicholson down the ground and was caught by Angel at long on 10m in from the fence after having only made 3. The next over too continued the disastrous collapse with Hayden cutting Angel as far as point where Dighton caught him. Hayden had made a blistering 41. Law was supposed to come in next - but we understand he was too ill to take his place at the crease.
Symonds came in instead and together with Love took the total to 70 whereupon two more wickets fell. First to go was Love on the score of 17 played a lofted cut too many when he lofted Nicholson directly to the point fielder Dighton. That was over, next ball had Symonds on 9 cross batting a ball from Angel straight to Langer in the covers.
Healy and Foley closed out the innings unbeaten on 4 and 6 respectively. Queensland achieved their target at 18:06. From 20.1 overs with the loss of 4 batsmen.
No man of the match was given due to the late time of the day and the early finish of the evening's play. This will be updated as soon as we know more.