The Western Warriors need a further eight wickets while New South Wales require 110 more runs, to earn the right to host the Bupa Sheffield Shield Final after an enthralling third day at Manuka Oval.
Shaun Marsh scored a sensational century to lead WA to 316, setting the Blues 213 to win in the final innings, with the hosts 2-103 at stumps.
NSW skipper Steve Smith (32no), who will be a key wicket on Friday, and Ben Rohrer (9no) will be at the crease when play resumes at 7.30am WST.
Ashton Agar (1-39) and Marcus North (1-23) took the wickets of Nic Maddinson and Ryan Carters respectively, before Smith steadied the Blues through to stumps.
Earlier, Marsh had set alight Manuka Oval, with a determined and impressive century where he was the rock in partnerships with Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, Ryan Duffield and Jason Behrendorff.
Marsh had scored three successive ducks, two coming while on Test duty in South Africa, but he bounced back with a knock of 113 which took more than five hours and included 10 fours and two sixes.
WA had resumed on day three at 5-138, with an overall lead of 34 runs, and built on that early in the day before the Blues took the new ball.
Whiteman was dropped by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill off Doug Bollinger, but fell soon after caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for 36.
Agar showed attacking intent with consecutive boundaries off Nathan Lyon, helping WA pass the 200-mark, before he departed caught at first slip by Smith off the Australian spinner for 24.
Marsh brought up his half-century shortly after lunch, with his resolute effort taking almost four hours, and he began to accelerate his scoring rate after the dismissal of Jason Behrendorff for 20, clean bowled by Steve O’Keefe.
The Warriors batsman raced into the nineties with some big hitting, before bringing up triple figures with a maximum off Lyon’s bowling.
Next ball, Marsh was involved in a controversial moment, when he was adjudged out LBW by Paul Wilson before the umpire revoked his decision seconds later, with the batsman appearing to hit the ball first.
Following the dismissal of Ryan Duffield caught behind off Hazlewood for 6, Marsh played some more aggressive shots, before skying one to the wicketkeeper to be dismissed for 113, with WA all out for 316 at tea.
The Warriors hoped for quick wickets in the final session, but Carters and Maddinson held firm, with the latter looking dangerous once he’d settled in at the crease.
However, the breakthrough came in the 21st over, when Agar got Maddinson’s wicket, caught by skipper Adam Voges at slip for 35.
Carters followed him back to the pavilion, when Hogan plucked a high catch in the deep off North’s bowling with three players converging for the chance.
The wicket made it 2-67, but Smith and Rohrer guided the hosts through to hosts.
WA’s hopes of hosting the Shield Final will be on the line in the first session tomorrow, but the Warriors can still make the decider if Queensland fail to beat Victoria elsewhere. South Australia’s Final hopes were dashed on Thursday after losing to Tasmania.
WA 82 & 316 (S. Marsh 113, North 44; Hazlewood 3-53, Abbott 2-41) v NSW 186 & 2-103 (Maddinson 35, Smith 32no; North 1-23, Agar 1-39), Manuka Oval
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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