SA dominate despite Queensland fightback; McInerney, Lehmann, Carey pile on centuries

Victoria 197 for 5 (Harris 11*, Sutherland 3-32, Moody 4-41, Siddle 3-10) lead Western Australia 186 (Connolly 56, Goodwin 36) by 43 runs

Allrounder Cooper Connolly returned to domestic action at the WACA after a challenging stint overseas, delivering a valuable half-century under pressure. His 56-run innings offered resistance for Western Australia, but Victoria ultimately took control, establishing a 43-run lead by stumps on day two.

Both teams remain contenders to face South Australia in the Sheffield Shield final on March 26, making this match crucial. Victoria and WA need outright victory to surpass Queensland and New South Wales in a closely contested points table.

Connolly anchored WA's innings cautiously, demonstrating resilience and class in tough batting conditions, striking eight fours and a six. Despite his composed performance, the rest of the WA lineup struggled against a disciplined Victorian attack, highlighted by David Moody's 4-41 on debut for Victoria, Peter Siddle's exceptional 3-10, and Will Sutherland's 3-32.

WA began the second day precariously after losing opener Matt Renshaw before stumps on day one. Nightwatchman Corey Rocchiccioli initially appeared comfortable but fell caught behind down the legside for 16, mirroring Renshaw's earlier dismissal. Todd Murphy's offspin initially failed to trouble WA significantly, bowling inconsistently and offering openings for the batters.

Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, and other key batters couldn't sustain their starts, falling to the precision bowling of Sutherland, Siddle, and Moody. Cartwright, despite entering the match as the Shield's leading run-scorer, fell cheaply, compounding WA's batting troubles.

Connolly cautiously built his innings, eventually accelerating to provide some hope alongside lower-order batter Cameron Gannon, who partnered him in a vital 53-run stand for the ninth wicket. Connolly showed occasional aggression, notably hitting Moody for a six. However, Siddle ensured Victoria retained momentum, ending Connolly’s resistance and securing figures of 3 for 10.

At stumps, Victoria had extended their lead with openers Marcus Harris (11*) and Sam Harper (11*) steadily batting, placing them firmly in control with two days remaining.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.