Warriors destined for defeat

A brave 94 from Shaun Marsh doesn't look like being enough to stop Western Australia losing its second consecutive Sheffield Shield clash, as some quality New South Wales' bowling ran through the Warriors at the WACA on Saturday.

The Blues are in the box seat to wrap up an outright win over WA on the third day, having reduced the Warriors to 7-231 at stumps on day two, a lead of just 88 runs.

Doug Bollinger provided another reminder of his Test credentials as he claimed 4-61 including the vital wicket of WA wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi (44), just as he and Marsh appeared likely to take the game away from the Blues with a 99-run sixth-wicket stand.

"The Marsh and Ronchi partnership was the key," Bollinger said.

"They're great batters and they don't waste any time scoring when they want to. They stood it out there for a bit, but the results came late."

In a curious day of fluctuating fortunes, the Blues resumed on the second morning at 4-168 in their first innings, a 37-run lead over the Warriors dismal 131 all out from the previous day.

But in an encouraging morning session for the hosts, an undermanned attack missing strike bowlers Ashley Noffke and Brett Dorey still did the business, taking six wickets and bowling the Blues out for 274 by lunch.

Brad Knowles did most of the damage, claiming 4-99 while the ever-reliable Steve Magoffin chipped in with 2-53. All-rounder Theo Doropoulos almost upstaged them, though, taking the consecutive wickets of Steven Smith and Stuart Clark to be on a hat-trick, only to be denied by Bollinger.

Still trailing by 143, the Warriors needed a big batting performance in the second innings to threaten an outright win. What they got instead was the top order crumbling under an inspired assault by Bollinger and Stuart Clark, backed up well by Josh Hazlewood (2-52) and Moises Henriques (1-44).

Teetering at 5-106 at tea, an innings-victory for New South Wales almost appeared on the cards. But the Warriors were given a temporary reprieve through Marsh and Ronchi's explosive stand, the pair battering 17 boundaries between them as they stood up to New South Wales' assault.

But the momentum shifted once again when Bollinger had Ronchi caught behind before Blues captain Clark all but turned the game with some inspired leadership.

Having circulated his bowlers effectively throughout the day, Clark re-introduced 18-year-old Hazlewood into the attack once again just before stumps, the youngster keeping the ball low and wrapping Marsh on the pads for his second wicket of the afternoon.

"It's disappointing 'cause I know it's been a while," said Marsh after just failing to make his first Shield century since posting 166 against Queensland in their 2007-08 Pura Cup clash.

"But I'd take 94 if they gave it to me ... (although) it would have been nice to do get that hundred."

"We had them on toast out there," he added when asked about his and Ronchi's partnership.

"(But) it was disappointing we both got out within the space of half-an-hour of each other ... we really needed one of us there at stumps."

Earlier in the day, Hazlewood had been denied his first scalp in a bizarre incident involving stand-in Warriors' skipper Adam Voges. Voges appeared to have been caught behind off the first ball he faced, but the batsman stood his ground for a moment, leading to umpire Paul Wilson incredibly crossing his arms and revoking the decision.

The incident caused little damage, as Voges was then clean bowled by Hazlewood in the youngster's next over for one, but would have caused much more of a stir had the Warrior gone onto a big score.

Justin Coetzee (15) and Steve Magoffin (three), though, remain unbeaten at the crease, but it would take a supreme batting effort by the pair on Sunday morning to take the lead anywhere near a defendable 200 on this pitch.

Marsh, though, was optimistic of causing an upset.

"The two guys there now are capable batsmen and we're coming here tomorrow and we've got nothing to lose pretty much, so we'll give it a crack," he said.

Western Australia first innings 131

New South Wales first innings
Jaques c S. Marsh b Hogan 28
Hughes c Coetzee b Magoffin 58
Khawaja c Ronchi b Knowles 39
D. Smith c S. Marsh b Knowles 52
Rohrer lbw b Knowles 4
Henriques b Coetzee 52
Warner c S. Marsh b Magoffin 0
S. Smith c Ronchi b Doropoulos 6
Clark c S. Marsh b Doropoulos 0
Bollinger c Ronchi b Knowles 9
Hazlewood not out 9
Extras: 17 (4b, 3lb, 9nb, 1)
Total: 274 (82.5 overs)

FoW: 1-77, 2-104, 3-141, 4-145, 5-212, 6-221, 7-248, 8-248, 9-250, 10-274

Western Australia bowling:
Magoffin 21 - 7 - 53 - 2 (1nb)
Hogan 21 - 6 - 62 - 1
Knowles 20.5 - 5 - 99 - 4 (2nb)
Coetzee 16 - 3 - 37 - 1
Doropoulos 4 - 0 - 16 - 2 (5nb)

Western Australia second innings
Towers c D. Smith b Bollinger 12
Robinson c Bollinger b Henriques 20
S. Marsh lbw Hazlewood 94
Voges b Hazlewood 1
M. Marsh c S. Smith b Bollinger 17
Doropoulos c D. Smith b Bollinger 4
Ronchi c D. Smith b Bollinger
Coetzee not out 15
Magoffin not out 3
Extras: 21 (5b, 1lb, 10nb, 5w)
Total: 231 (7 wickets, 59 overs)

FoW: 1-14, 2-41, 3-54, 4-100, 5-106, 6-205, 7-220

New South Wales bowling:
Bollinger 12 - 2 - 61 - 4 (9nb)
Clark 12 - 4 - 34 - 0
Hazlewood 12 - 1 - 52 - 2
Henriques 16 - 5 - 44 - 1 (1nb, 5w)
S. Smith 7 - 0 - 34 - 0