Pura Cup: New South Wales v Western Australia at Sydney, 14-17 Dec 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Pura Cup: New South Wales v Western Australia at Sydney, 14-17 Dec 2001
Claire Killeen

New South Wales 2nd innings: Lunch - Day 3, Tea - Day 3, Stumps - Day 3,
Live Reports from previous days

BEVAN, MAIL OPEN ESCAPE ROUTE FOR BLUES

Western Australia still scents an outright, but New South Wales has improved its chances of escaping with a draw, after a fierce battle between the sides on the third day of their Pura Cup match here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

After the Warriors established a massive 363-run advantage on the first innings, the Blues opted primarily to occupy the crease during the day's final two sessions. They closed at a second innings scoreline of 3/188, reducing the overall deficit to 175 in the process with six hours left to play in the match.

Attacking cricket was put firmly on the shelf by the Blues as captain Michael Bevan (78*) and opener Greg Mail (59) combined to add an even 100 runs in a vigilant stand for the second wicket. After Michael Slater (24) was dismissed from the first delivery he faced after lunch, Bevan and Mail batted together for the best part of the remaining two sessions to frustrate the Warriors and heighten the chances that the Blues might be able to scramble away from this game with a draw.

Western Australia's first innings was finally wrapped up at a mammoth 578 during the morning session, leaving the Blues with the task of extending their salvage mission over a total of five and a half sessions.

Mail and Slater used up the remainder of the pre-lunch period to compose an opening partnership of 32, though the latter's innings wasn't necessarily a vintage one. Slater characteristically attempted to dominate the attack but one uncontrolled shot sent the ball flying over the slips and another had the ball clearing Brad Williams by a matter of inches at fine leg.

His mixture of an innings ended swiftly after lunch when he edged a delivery of high pace from Williams (1/56). The ball flew quickly to wicketkeeper, Ryan Campbell, who wrapped a glove around it but fumbled the catch and had to watch as second slip fieldsman, Marcus North, came across to his left to tidy up the dismissal.

Enter Bevan and a go-slow show with Mail that utilised as many as 304 deliveries.

Mail's own half century came from 173 balls, while Bevan was similarly defiant in accumulating his milestone from 148.

Ultimately, it took the shock of a bowling change, and a wonderful catch from Scott Meuleman, to separate them. Right arm off spinner North (1/24) was the partnership breaker, luring Mail to drive a flighted ball hard and low to Meuleman in a position just forward of short leg.

It was just the fifth ball North had wheeled down and only the fourth over of spin in the innings as a whole.

With a change in partner came something of a change in heart from a suddenly flamboyant Bevan. The left hander promptly struck two majestic boundaries to reach fifty then transformed his scoring curve even further by serially cutting Williams to raise another four boundaries in a single over.

A half-century stand with Michael Clarke (17) consequently came in a positively dizzy 64 minutes, though the attacking bent reached a prompt halt again when Brad Hogg (1/15) terminated the youngster's innings with a leg side lbw decision that replays suggested was a touch dubious.

MAIL AND BEVAN DIG IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

New South Wales' batsmen are continuing to slowly whittle away Western Australia's massive first innings lead in the teams' Pura Cup arm wrestle here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

The New South Wales batsmen have dug in and are cautious and unhurried in their defiance of the Warriors bowlers. Opener Greg Mail (39*) and skipper Michael Bevan (27*) have built a platform for escape with a vigilant unbroken partnership that extended across the majority of the third day's middle session.

The Blues had resumed at 0/32 - still trailing their opponents by 331 runs overall - and ended the two hours of play at 1/95. But things didn't start at all well, with dashing opener Michael Slater (24) out to the very first delivery that he faced after lunch.

Slater (24) was a victim of pace, losing his wicket as he edged at Brad Williams (1/29). The ball flew quickly to wicketkeeper, Ryan Campbell, who wrapped a glove around it but fumbled the catch and had to watch as second slip fieldsman, Marcus North, came across to his left to tidy up the dismissal.

It ended a mixed innings from Slater, in which some well timed strokes were interspersed with others that didn't appear to come from the middle of the bat. Williams had gone perilously close to removing the 31-year-old before the break when a top edged shot - coming as Slater bailed out of a hook - took the ball despairingly over the heads of the slip fieldsmen.

From there, Mail and Bevan have led a circumspect fight on a pitch that continues to flatten out. The batsmen have been deliberately cautious and not necessarily keen on run scoring, enabling the bowlers to produce brilliant economy rates.

Jo Angel (0/21) has arguably been the most effective in the Warriors' efforts to unsettle the New South Wales batsmen. The veteran right arm fast bowler has been unlucky and has cause to be frustrated.

During his tenth over, umpire Jim Cameron gave Bevan the benefit of the doubt in a close lbw decision. Angel, still looking fired up over that decision, then found Bevan's glove in the same over. The deflection took the ball just wide of Campbell and the slips cordon, leaving the unfortunate Angel with even more cause for frustration.

It was a strange session for Campbell whose gloves made contact with each of three potential catches only to have them elude him.

For their part, the batsmen are showing generally sound judgement - leaving many deliveries alone and, though there have been precious few bad balls, occasionally punishing those offering width.

Mail has faced four times as many deliveries as scored runs and Bevan has adhered to a similar plan, having gathered his runs off a total of 63 deliveries.

BLUES' BATSMEN BEGIN MASSIVE SALVAGE MISSION

New South Wales is at 0/32 at lunch on the third day of the Pura Cup clash against Western Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground as it attempts to wipe out a massive first innings deficit of 363 runs.

Michael Slater (24*) and Greg Mail (7*) have made a positive start in fairly difficult circumstances as they look to inspire the resolute performance that the Blues now require to avert defeat in the match.

Earlier, the Western Australians' attempts to build an even bigger lead had been thwarted upon the start of play here today by the bowling of Clark and Clark - Anthony (4/130) and Stuart (4/125), the Blues' right arm off spinner and right arm paceman respectively.

The two players combined to snare the final four wickets of the innings this morning and finally wrap up the Warriors' exhibition at the mark of 578.

Western Australia's highest-ever total against New South Wales - of 594, in 1968-69 - accordingly retained its place at the head of the list in the record books.

Anthony Clark claimed the wickets of Brad Hogg (61) and Jo Angel (10) and Stuart Clark - operating from the Paddington end - found the edge of the bat of Chris Rogers (53) and tilted back the stumps of Brad Williams (19).

Rogers had earlier become the sixth member of the Western Australian line-up to score at least a half-century; his captain Simon Katich (131) and Mike Hussey (100) having also progressed on to raise three figures yesterday.

Rogers' half-century, fittingly registered with a well-timed shot to the cover boundary, was his first at first-class level.

It is now the turn of the New South Wales batsmen to show much the same degree of application, particularly against the bowling of Williams (0/18) and Angel (0/ 12) that undid them two days ago.

To that end, Slater made an interesting start in batting in his usual bravado manner and dominating the partnership with Mail. The aggressive right hander has already struck three fours and one six in his stay.

The six was a touch fortuitous, though, as it came from a pull shot which allowed the ball to clear the fine leg fieldsmen by no more than a matter of inches.