Queensland openers Jimmy Maher and Jerry Cassell confirmed what Western Australia's tail had already suggested with an unbeaten 157 stand before stumps on day two of their Pura Cup clash.

Once considered a bowlers' paradise, it is now batsmen who stand to reap the most rewards from the WACA's flat deck and pacy outfield.

Or, in the case of WA duo Matthew Nicholson and Jo Angel, two pacemen making timely contributions with the bat.

On a day when just two wickets fell for a total of 284 runs, the Bulls went to stumps trailling WA's first innings total of 432 by 275, needing just 126 to avoid the follow on.

After matching each other stroke for stroke, Cassell (80no) leapt ahead of Maher (69no) in the dying overs.

WA tried five bowlers - Angel (0-40), Brad Williams (0-32), Nicholson (0-40) and Sean Cary (0-25)- but none could make the breakthrough as the pair batted for 207 minutes and struck a combined 17 boundaries.

Angel added to the already giant footprints he has left embedded in WA's record books when he scored his 1000th Sheffield Shield-Pura Cup run for his state.

The Warriors resumed this morning on 8-305 with Nicholson on six and Angel yet to score.

The pair then proceeded to put on the highest partnership of the innings (110) to steer the home side beyond 400 runs.

Angel was eventually dismissed for 61 in the final over before lunch when he edged Ashes tourist Ashley Noffke (5-89) to wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe.

His knock took him to 1045 Sheffield Shield-Pura Cup runs for Western Australia and made him the second player after former state captain Tony Lock to take 300 wickets and score 1000 runs for his state.

Last month he moved to second on the all-time WA list of wicket takers with 353, in striking distance of Terry Alderman's 384.

He beat Nicholson to the half-century in an innings that included eight boundaries and came from 112 deliveries.

In the process the veteran paceman sent a message to the WA hierarchy, which had elevated swing bowler Cary ahead of him in the batting line-up.

Nicholson produced a chanceless three hour innings but was left stranded on 59 when Williams fell for 13 to end the innings.

But tomorrow the batting heroics will be forgotten as Warriors captain Simon Katich calls on the pair to surpass their efforts with the bat by dismissing the Bulls and earning much needed first innings points.

© 2001 AAP