Try as they might South Australia could not make the breakthrough needed
to secure an outright win over Western Australia on the final day of the Pura
Cup match in Perth on Monday
David Bebb11-Nov-2002Try as they might South Australia could not make the breakthrough needed
to secure an outright win over Western Australia on the final day of the Pura
Cup match in Perth on Monday.Western Australia held on for a face saving draw after conceding first
innings points on the second day of the match.An unbeaten century to Chris Rogers and fifties to Brad Hogg who was
unbeaten and Murray Goodwin staved off outright defeat.Western Australia resumed their second innings at the overnight score of 52
for two.After hearing about his selection for Australia A overnight Marcus North
added four runs to his overnight score falling on 27 (45 balls) when
he played a delivery from the lean right-armer Paul Rofe onto his stumps in the fourth over of the day. Western Australia were 65 for three at that stage and the Redbacks had broken the North-Goodwin third wicket partnership worth 52 runs.Ryan Harris had Goodwin when the latter attempted to guide a ball to third man. Goodwin only managed to feather an edge to the keepr and fell
four balls after posting his fifty. Goodwin made 52 from 89 balls.Ryan Campbell and Chris Rogers took Western Australia to lunch with the
score on 155 for four wickets.After just over an hour at the crease Campbell 45 (62 balls) lofted Redbacks captain Greg Blewett to point fielder Ryan Harris. Campbell was caught after playing a mature innings with Western Australia reaching 188 for five wickets and ending an eighty run partnership.Brad Hogg and Chris Rogers took Western Australia to tea at 251 for five.Then, just nine minutes short of three hours spent together at the crease
time was called and the match was declared a draw with Rogers not out 110
(290 balls, 16 fours) in six hours and three minutes, and ice cool Brad Hogg ending on 79 from 171 balls with 10 boundaries.The Redbacks used eight bowlers in their efforts to break this partnership.
They departed from the discipline of the WA first innings when they bowled
outside off all day infrequently sending a straight ball in to excite the
nerves of the youngsters.Rofe and Harris claimed two wickets each and the only other wicket fell to Blewett. Damien Fleming, Mick Miller, John Davison, Mark Higgs and Ben Johnson were the other bowlers used.Commenting on his selection for Australia A, Brad Williams said after the
match, “I thought I struggled a bit in this game.””To get that selection is good for me. I am looking forward to just
getting another game under my belt. It has been a while since I played a
bit of cricket so it is good to get out in the middle.””It has been about six weeks since I played a fair dinkum game out in the
middle so I did struggle a little bit with match fitness. So I am looking
forward to getting another game under my belt.”Marcus North was surprised by his selection for Australia A, “It was a big
surprise, yeah,” he enthused.”I got a phone call this morning from a friend. I am very happy about
being selected. It is a good experience I guess. It was a big surprise and
I am just thrilled to be involved.Greg Blewett talked about a frustrating day in the field. “We had a few
chances I suppose. We dropped Cambo [Ryan Campbell] fairly early, but I am
not sure that would have made a difference or not. A lot of balls went past
the bat.””The wicket was up and down but certainly those last two guys who
were in at the end batted superbly and their concentration was top class.”We threw everything at them but at the end of the day they just hung in
there. It is a bit frustrating to come out of a game with just two points
after being is such a good position.”Mike Hussey was in praise of the South Australians. “I thought South
Australia played very well over the whole four days really.””We showed a lot of character again. In the one-day game we showed a lot of
character in the middle, and in this game it was again in the middle we had
some great partnerships.”In particular Bucky Rogers [Chris Rogers] and Hoggy [Brad Hogg] did a
fantastic job for us.”To get away with a draw in the position we were in was a great effort.”I have a great faith in these guys. We have a great bunch of guys and a
lot of character in our squad. I did have a lot of faith that we could get
through.”I always thought we were a chance because they didn’t really have anyone
who could blast out a couple of wickets, say the like of a Mark Harrity.
They did have very good line and length bowlers. I knew we had good players
with good concentration. If they were bowling tight and disciplined lined
and lengths I thought we could get through.”I did have a look at their attack and thought there was much of a
same-ness about it. Good bowlers bowling a disciplined line and length. I
thought that they may struggle to bowl us out twice and it probably proved
that way in the end.”I thought that South Australia on the whole played the better cricket. I
thought we were a little bit rusty. We will get stronger and stronger as
the season wears on. They have got three games under their belt whereas
this is only our first real hit-out.”Hussey didn’t expect to be picked for the Australia A side. “Whenever
an opportunity comes up you need to be scoring runs at that time. I didn’t
score as many as I would have liked against the Englishmen and again in
this match.”I had a good chance in that first innings to go on and make a big score to
put my name up there. It wasn’t to be, but it gives me an opertunity to get
into some good form for the Warriors and help WA climb that Pura Cup
ladder.”I am just doing the same things that I have always done in my career.
Sometimes you have patches where it just doesn’t go your way. If you keep
the faith in your ability and keep working hard off the track it has got to
turn around for you.”Chris [Rogers] is a good one to show that. He just keeps working hard
keeps doing the same thing year in year out and you get your good times.
You just have to ride your good times and your bad times and hopefully you
come out a better player at the end of it.Chris Rogers obviously enjoys batting against the Redbacks. “The last three
or four innings have been really good. I don’t know what it is about the
Redbacks but it as been fantastic.””I was in early so I knew I was one of the players expected to bat a long
time. I just went out there and tried to dig in and do a job. I did feel
pressure because they bowl quite tight and well. I just managed to have a
bit of luck, and I am happy with that.”The way I looked at it was I had to bat through, and if the other guys
could bat and score quickly then maybe come the last session we could think
about it. For me I was just happy to hold up an end.”The way I have finished last year and the way I have begun this year has
been really good. More so for the confidence. It just helps to know you can
score runs at this level. I scored a few against England and felt in pretty
good nick then. To come and back it up against the Redbacks was just
fantastic.”
c
