Paul Barbieri at the WACA Ground
Some inspired bowling from Western Australia has brought the Warriors right back into their Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales, the Blues losing six wickets to be bowled out by lunch on the second day.
Having run through the Warriors for just 131 on day one, the Blues claimed first-innings points before stumps, finishing on 4-168, 37 runs ahead and apparently well-placed to build a massive lead.
But despite Daniel Smith and Moises Henriques both making 52 on the second morning, the hour before lunch saw the Warriors hit back in a big way, bowling the visitors out for just 274 with a lead of 143 runs.
Theo Doropoulos (2-16) proved a surprise destroyer, the all-rounder taking the wickets of Steven Smith (six) and Blues skipper Stuart Clark (zero) in succession to be on a hat-trick in just his third over, although Doug Bollinger ably defended the hat-trick ball.
New South Wales' collapse was made all the remarkable, considering Daniel Smith and Henriques appeared comfortable on Satruday morning, having put on 67 for the fifth wicket.
But when leading WA wicket-taker Brad Knowles (4-99) earned an edge from Smith to Shaun Marsh at second slip, the rot set in.
Twenty20 wonder David Warner didn't trouble the scorers as Shaun Marsh claimed his second catch of the morning through a sharp diving effort at second slip off Steve Magoffin's (2-53) bowling, while Doropoulos popped up 10 minutes later with his two scalps.
Justin Coetzee (1-37) claimed his first wicket at first-class level when he smashed through Henriques' defence and took out middle stump, while Knowles claimed a deserved fourth when he had Bollinger caught behind for nine after the first session was extended to finish off the Blues' innings.
Western Australia 1st innings 131
New South Wales 1st 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)