Sam Whiteman and Aaron Hardie hit hundreds as Western Australia edged nearer to their first Sheffield Shield crown in quite a while. At Stumps on Day 4 at the well known WACA ground in Perth, the home side were 313 for 6 in their subsequent innings, driving Victoria by an incredible 393 runs. Having asserted the extra focuses advantage on Day 3 by outscoring their resistance in the initial 100 overs of every innings, a draw on the last day will be enough for Western Australia to be delegated champions.
It wasn’t all going great for the hosts on the fourth day which they started at 91 for 3 with Whiteman on 45. The initial 16 overs of the day brought just 18 runs Teague Willey and Josh Philippe then got out in progressive overs leaving WA unstably positioned. It was then that the sets of Whiteman and Hardie got together.
Whiteman, who batted 179 balls from his 85 in the main innings, played 338 in the second search for his 123. In the process he additionally turned into the second-most noteworthy run-scorer of the Shield season, behind Victoria chief Peter Handscomb. The pair put on 174 for the 6th wicket before Whiteman fell bearing arms to a Will Sutherland conveyance. Hardie, who scored his subsequent five star ton, was unbeaten on 119 and assisted see his side home to Stumps with no further butterflies en route.
Western Australia asserted the extra focuses advantage on day three by outscoring Victoria during the initial 100 overs of each group’s first innings, meaning if the decider closes in a draw following five days they would be delegated Sheffield Shield champions without precedent for 23 years.
Brief scores: Western Australia 386 and 313/6 (Sam Whiteman 123, Aaron Hardie 119*; Scott Boland 2-29) lead Victoria 306 by 393 runs