North shines but Bulls take advantage

Queensland 208 and 1 for 25 lead Western Australia 206 (North 94, Harris 4-67, Noffke 3-51) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Queensland held on to take first-innings points with a two-run advantage despite a brilliant 94 from Western Australia's captain Marcus North at the WACA. At the close of the second day, the Bulls had increased their lead to 27 having reached 1 for 25 with Ryan Broad on 21 and Clinton Perren on 3.

They were fortunate to have any buffer at all following a superb North-led fightback after the Warriors collapsed to 8 for 111. It left them without much hope of overhauling Queensland's 208 but a string of dropped catches helped Western Australia get within touching distance of the target.

North was the final man out when he was caught at gully off James Hopes with the total on 206. It was an agonising end for North, who had put together an excellent 91-run partnership for the ninth wicket with the debutant fast bowler Paul Davis.

Both men were put down during the stand and the Bulls finished with five missed opportunities - Perren dropped three in the slips and Ryan Harris spilled two at point. Only when Ashley Noffke trapped Davis for 37 with the Warriors on 202 did things again start to go right for Queensland.

Their day had started well - Western Australia resumed at 3 for 33 and it soon became 4 for 33 when Luke Pomersbach was caught behind for a duck. He was one of three victims for Noffke while Harris finished with 4 for 67 after causing problems for the middle order.