Redbacks settle for a draw
Western Australian coach Justin Langer believes the revolutionary drop-in wicket at Adelaide Oval needs work before it hosts the second Ashes Test in early December after serving up a record run feast in his side’s Sheffield Shield stalemate with South Australia.
The pitch, rolled out at the historic ground in late September, coughed up well over one thousand runs and produced three centurions across the four-day encounter that culminated in a draw today.
The visitors finished on three-for-202 with a 35-run lead in their second dig after the Redbacks were bowled out this morning for a whopping 601 – the highest total recorded by South Australia against WA in the Sheffield Shield.
After losing wickets either side of lunch, the Warriors took a more defensive approach in their second innings to avoid defeat on the new drop-in pitch.
The visitors battled their way to 3-202 at the close of play with former Test batsman and the competition’s leading run-scorer Marcus North finishing on an industrious 84 not out – just shy of a second century in four days.
Mitch Marsh, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, was at the crease with North until the end and played a free-spirited role striking 11 boundaries for an unbeaten 65.
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After bowling out the Redbacks for 601 on Saturday morning, North and fellow opener Cameron Bancroft were eager to score runs quickly and cut the 167-run deficit the Warriors trailed by.
But the emphasis changed to a defensive approach when Bancroft was trapped lbw for 25 on the verge of lunch by Joe Mennie (1-16) and John Rogers was dismissed by Redbacks captain Johan Botha (1-22) for four shortly after the midday break.
WA’s no-nonsense mindset was set in stone when skipper Shaun Marsh was sent packing on 13 after Tom Cooper reacted instantly to take a sensational catch at short mid-wicket from spinner Adam Zampa’s (1-62) bowling.
North survived a dropped catch in the slips on the last ball prior to tea, before going on to bring up his second half-century in three matches following the interval.
Marsh scored his eight first-class 50 late in proceedings to give the Warriors the lead again.
Earlier, SA paid the price for their gung-ho approach on day four and lost 5-47 in quick succession as they endeavoured to force a result.
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Although wickets tumbled, the Redbacks managed to break a 42-year record for the highest score ever recorded by an SA side against WA, blitzing past the previous mark of 9-575.
Warriors paceman Nathan Rimmington was the chief destroyer with the ball, claiming figures of 3-86 after cleaning up the home side’s tail.
In other Shield matches, a defiant Chris Hartley has not been able to stop NSW defeating Queensland by 150 runs by lunch on the final day of their clash in Brisbane.
The Bulls wicketkeeper hit 78 not out and put on 59 runs with Alister McDermott for the final wicket before Queensland were finally bowled out for 284 – well short of their victory target of 435.
The lunch break was extended half an hour with the Blues on the verge of victory.
Queensland’s resistance was finally broken with two minutes left before the extended lunch break when McDermott missed a Steven Smith full toss and was bowled for 41.
NSW’s former Test bowler Trent Copeland was named man of the match after his hauls of 5-49 and 2-50.
Victoria’s notched its first Sheffield Shield outright win of the season, downing Tasmania by 129 runs.
The Bushrangers bowled the home side out late on day four for 207 to win with 47 balls to spare.
Dan Christian took three wickets, while Tigers allrounder James Faulkner made 53.
