Ronchi blitz sets up Warriors

Queensland 228 and 4 for 77 (Noffke 34*) trail Western Australia 5 for 565 (Pomersbach 176, Marsh 166*, Ronchi 105*) by 260 runs
Scorecard

Queensland are on the brink of defeat after being on the receiving end of an extraordinary day of big hitting when Luke Ronchi smashed a 51-ball century. It was one of three hundreds for Western Australia, who charged to a 337-run lead before declaring on 5 for 565.

Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach also piled in with centuries, sharing a 268-run partnership for the fourth wicket to cement a stronghold. Trouble continued for the Bulls when they slipped to 4 for 77 before stumps and were still 260 behind.

Ronchi, who already holds the record for the domestic one-day hundred from 56 balls, was 17 deliveries short of the Pura Cup mark set by David Hookes, who did it in 34 for South Australia in 1982-83. However, Ronchi's 11 sixes equalled the domestic first-class best with Dominic Thornley, who hit them against the Warriors in 2004-05.

No bowler was safe as he climbed into Chris Simpson, Grant Sullivan and Daniel Doran and his second fifty came up from 11 balls. The umpires were also in the firing line as Pomersbach felled Jeff Brookes at square leg with a forceful pull.

Amid Ronchi's blitz, Pomersbach finally holed out off Doran to Ryan Broad in the deep, ending a partnership worth 268 in 389 balls. Pomersbach had been dropped off Ashley Noffke by Clinton Perren in the gully on 56 and he made the visitors pay a heavy price as he pummelled his way to 176. Marsh, who was unbeaten on 166, helped the trio put on 257 in the middle session.

If the Bulls thought that was where the punishment ended, they were wrong. The Warriors' bowlers then dished it out with Steve Magoffin contributing three of the first four wickets.