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Bloody Sunday for Victoria
Roger Vaughan - 3 March 2002

The stereo in the Western Australian changeroom blared U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" at the MCG here today after the greatest comeback in domestic first-class cricket history.

WA moved to second on the Pura Cup ladder thanks to the 37-run win, rolling the Bushrangers for 98 in the final session of play.

Victoria played its best cricket of the summer for the first two days, but reserved its worst for the final two hours of the game.

It was only the third time in Australian domestic first-class history a side had won after being made to follow on.

WA also overcame the biggest first-innings deficit of those three matches, trailing by 275 after collapsing for 175 in reply to Victoria's 6 (dec)-450 and then setting up a target of 136 with its second-innings 410.

"It's just so empty, we've played really badly for an hour in the game," Elliott said.

"To bowl as well as we did in the first innings on a pretty flat wicket and then to knock them over and make them follow on, I thought we were a tad unlucky to have to bat again.

"In the end, 130 on that wicket should have been a relatively easy task."

The result ended Victoria's slim final hopes and took WA to 24 points, ahead of South Australia and Tasmania on 20 pending the result of their match tomorrow in Adelaide.

Two former Victorians played crucial roles in the win. Former Bushrangers paceman Brad Williams took 4-37 in the second innings and his direct hit from fine leg ran out Ian Harvey immediately before the tea break, arguably the most crucial wicket of the innings.

But Pakenham-born Marcus North, who moved west as a child, set up the amazing win with his unbeaten 200 in WA's second innings.

Katich conceded North should have been out yesterday for 55, stumped Darren Berry off the bowling of Jon Moss.

It was one of several contentious decisions which led to a long session for the standard post-game meeting.

"There's always going to be contentious issues and yeah, we felt that was probably out," Katich said.

"We had a runner out there at the time, he was at square leg and he felt it was probably out.

"But saying that, we had a lot of decisions go against us as well, that's the nature of the game."

Katich praised his side for its persistence, particularly on the first day and also when Victoria appeared well-set today at 1-45.

Elliott (23) and Moss (21) were together and looked to have the game in hand, but their dismissals within four balls gave WA the advantage.

Victoria lost its last four wickets for eight, including two in two balls for Matthew Nicholson (3-13).

"I'm very rapt, we persevered on the first day to keep them to 313," Katich said.

"Today and yesterday were obviously the days where we really did persevere, Marcus in particular, but also guys like Chris Rogers and Matt Nicholson.

"Then the bowlers, they were 1-45 and its easy to drop your head in that situation, but the guys stuck at it and the result went our way.

"It was a weird game of cricket."

© 2002 AAP


Teams Australia.
First Class Teams Western Australia.
Season Australian Domestic Season
Scorecard Pura Cup: Victoria v Western Australia, 28 Feb - 3 Mar 2002


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