Casson takes six wickets to destroy SA

ADELAIDE, Dec 19 AAP - Young Western Australian left arm spinner Beau Casson took the first six wickets of his first-class career today as South Australia wasted a solid start to crash to all out for 226 at stumps on day one of their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval.

Casson, 20, and playing in just his second first-class match, took 6-64 in 29.4 overs to be the hero for WA.

It was a vital role for the Warriors, missing veteran Brad Hogg, who has been called up to play for Australia in the one-day match against Sri Lanka at the WACA on Sunday.

Casson, who like Hogg spins the ball both ways, said he had attempted to model his own performance on his fellow left-arm spinner.

"I had been rooming with Brad, and I was just trying to learn as much as I could from him," Casson told AAP.

"Obviously he went to play for Australia and I got my opportunity and it was just great, I was just trying to learn, see how professionally the side does it and try to learn as much as I can."

SA looked to have gained a crucial advantage when skipper Greg Blewett won the toss and elected to bat first on a flat pitch in extremely hot conditions.

Openers David Fitzgerald (63) and Shane Deitz (56) looked to have the WA bowlers at their mercy when they put on an opening partnership of 114 with few troubles, although it came at a slow rate, taking almost 50 overs.

But Casson then led a fightback by taking three wickets in the space of six overs, starting with his career-first scalp of Deitz, caught at deep midwicket, then dismissing Fitzgerald and Chris Davies (two) as SA lost 3-9 to slump to 3-123.

SA skipper Greg Blewett (48) and Jeff Vaughan (nine) put on a 52-run fourth-wicket stand to help SA recover briefly, before Casson struck again, this time in bizarre fashion.

Vaughan played a full-blooded pull shot off a short Casson delivery, which cannoned off short leg fieldsman Chris Rogers, who was trying to avoid it, and ballooned up to provide Mike Hussey with a simple catch at forward square leg.

Rogers spent several minutes writhing on the ground in pain before leaving the field with a badly bruised ankle.

The wicket sparked another SA meltdown, with Brad Williams dismissing Blewett eight overs later with the first delivery with the new ball.

Mark Higgs was run out by Paul Wilson two after that, and left-arm paceman Michael Clark then dismissed Brad Young and Mike Smith cheaply, before Casson returned to snare tailenders Paul Rofe and Shaun Tait, both for ducks, completing his six-wicket haul.

Casson credited WA skipper Justin Langer for helping the Warriors maintain their resolve after failing to take early wickets.

"It was just pretty much perseverance ... obviously they started getting away from us a bit, then a few things went our way, such as that freakish effort from the short leg and (Paul Wilson) got a run out," Casson said.

"Justin just made sure we persevered right down to the last ball, and it came off."