North and Bandy thwart South Australia

Western Australia 408 and 6 for 364 dec (North 143*, Bandy 88) drew with South Australia 405
Scorecard

Western Australia's Pura Cup match against South Australia at Perth petered out in a tame draw, a result which means Queensland's opponents in the final will not be known until the last round of matches.

Although both sides began the match promising they would go for a positive result, a lifeless pitch and some negative captaincy condemned the game to a draw long before the captains agreed to end play half-an-hour early.

South Australia needed early wickets, and Shaun Tait started by removing Beau Casson, the nightwatchman, with the fourth ball of the day. When Adam Vogues followed soon after to leave the Warriors on 5 for 101, South Australia sniffed a chance of pulling off what would have been a remarkable win.

But North and David Bandy snuffed out those hopes in a determined sixth-wicket stand which ground the life out of the bowlers. North's fifty came in a minute over three hours, and Bandy's was not much quicker.

At tea, North was on 66, but with the game safe, he opened up and took just another 19 balls to bring up his second hundred of the match. Bandy followed suit, and the two had put on 211 when Lehmann dismissed him 12 runs short of a maiden hundred.

The offspinner Dan Cullen, who had impressed observers with his tight first-innings performance, struggled in the second innings taking 1 for 146, although he had to bowl 89 overs in the match in tough conditions.

Western Australia took first innings points to move within two of the second-placed Victoria, and the teams meet in Melbourne this Friday. South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania could also qualify for the final if the Melbourne game is drawn.