Victorian paceman Clint McKay has backed up two early wickets with one of the most spectacular catches seen at the MCG to have Western Australia reeling on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash.
After Bushrangers captain Cameron White's brave decision to send the Warriors in to bat on what appeared to be a perfect MCG batting wicket, the visitors were struggling at 5-154 at tea on the opening day with vice-captain Adam Voges (not out 55) and keeper Luke Ronchi (not out 13) left with the responsibility of rescuing the innings.
White's decision, which was even bolder considering the Bushrangers went into their first home match of the first-class season with virtually a second-string bowling attack, came despite the MCG having proven to be a batsman's paradise so far this summer with the Vics already having made two 300-plus scores on the ground in the Ford Ranger Cup.
And with the defending Shield champions going into this match without their No.1 quick Peter Siddle, who was rested ahead of next week's first Test against the West Indies, as well as the injured Shane Harwood, Damien Wright, Dirk Nannes and Steve Gilmour, White's decision to bowl first initially appeared a strange one.
But such is the sheer depth in the Bushrangers' bowling ranks these days that it wasn't long before Western Australia was in trouble.
McKay, fresh from just having made his Australian debut on the recent one-day tour of India, took two early wickets before then taking a sensational, one-handed catch while diving backwards in the middle session to put the home side firmly in control.
He signalled his intentions from the very first ball of the match when he just went past the outside edge of opener Wes Robinson's bat before McKay then had better luck in his third over when he claimed the first Warriors wicket to fall after Robinson's opening partner Luke Towers (two) edged to keeper Matthew Wade after failing to deal with a delivery that bounced more than he expected.
Then in his next over McKay struck an even more important blow when he had Shaun Marsh, who has also just returned from Australia's one-day tour of India, caught behind by Wade for just one to leave the Warriors reeling at 2-15.
Test batsman Marcus North then joined Robinson at the crease but just as North was looking dangerous he paid dearly for a rush of blood when he attempted to smash Victorian leg spinner Bryce McGain over mid-on off just the second ball of McGain's first over.
But instead the ball ballooned off the toe of the bat and straight to Darren Pattinson at mid-off with North departing for 31.
Western Australia went to lunch at 3-78 and slumped further after the break when the gritty Robinson - who made a painstaking 32 in 153 minutes off 94 balls - became McGain's second victim when he failed to read a top spinner and gave keeper Wade his third catch of the innings.
But it was the next wicket that provided the highlight of the first day’s play when David Bandy top-edged a pull shot off John Hastings.
The ball seemed certain to clear the infield but McKay somehow pulled off a magnificent diving catch at mid-on, reminiscent of John Dyson's famous diving catch at the SCG in January 1982.
Western Australia 1st innings
Robinson c Wade b McGain 32
Towers c Wade b McKay 2
Marsh c Wade b McKay 1
North c Pattinson b McGain 31
Voges not out 55
Bandy c McKay b Hastings 8
Ronchi not out 13
Extras: 12 (4b, 7lb, 1nb)
Total: 154 (5 wickets; 60 overs)
FOW: 1-9, 2-15, 3-58, 4-99, 5-123
Bowling
McKay 15 - 2 - 35 - 2
Pattinson 10 - 2 - 31 - 0 (1nb)
Hastings 14 - 6 - 29 - 1
McDonald 7 - 2 - 20 - 0
McGain 14 - 5 - 28 - 2