WA fall three runs short in thrilling draw

South Australia 469 (Cooper 83, Lawford 81*, Agar 5-133) and 238 (Zampa 75, Agar 5-81) drew with Western Australia 633 (Voges 249, Klinger 151, Lawford 3-140) and 4 for 72 (Marsh 44*)
Scorecard

Shaun Marsh nearly pulled off a remarkable victory for Western Australia at the Gliderol Stadium, but he was unable to hit the final delivery of the match for a boundary, meaning they fell just three runs short, and South Australia hung on for a draw.

Western Australia began the day well-placed at 8 for 611 with a sizable lead in hand, but they were able to add only 22 more runs to that total as South Australia picked off the last two wickets within four overs. South Australia, though, were rocked by Ashton Agar's second five-for of the match, and soon found themselves floundering at 9 for 171 in their second dig, staring at an innings defeat. However, Adam Zampa, the No.9 batsman, rescued the team by scoring 75 and adding 67 for the final wicket in 19.5 overs, before they were bowled out for 238.

It meant that Western Australia needed 75 from eight overs for the win, and Marsh took it upon himself to drive the team home. Marsh slammed one four and three sixes during his 29-ball 44, and eventually brought the equation down to 15 off the final over, bowled by Gary Putland. Marsh's partner Nathan Coulter-Nile ran a single off the first ball, but Marsh could manage only two runs off the next two balls. He whacked the fourth ball of the over for six, and ran the fifth for two, but Coulter-Nile was run out for 1 off the final delivery, as South Australia salvaged unlikely points by virtue of the stalemate.

Agar was named the Man of the Match for his maiden 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket, as well as his quickfire 64 in the first innings.