Shaun Marsh ton, Matthew Kelly five-for give Western Australia thrilling win
Callum Ferguson's century goes in vain as the Redbacks collapsed chasing 345 for victory
ESPNcricinfo staff
02-Dec-2019
Matthew Kelly eyes his target before hitting his delivery stride • Getty Images
Western Australia 8 for 492 dec and 6 for 205 dec (Marsh 102*, Sayers 2-39) beat South Australia 353 & 308 (Ferguson 123, Weatherald 63, Kelly 5-63) by 36 runs
A five-wicket haul from Matthew Kelly helped Western Australia to a thrilling victory over South Australia at the WACA with just seven balls left in the game.
Following a century from Shaun Marsh earlier in the day and then 123 from Callum Ferguson in the sensational chase of 345 - in 70 overs - a collapse left South Australia needing to survive 44 balls with two wickets in hand in fading light. Adam Zampa and Joe Mennie survived 31 deliveries before Mennie edged Joel Paris behind. Then, with just eight balls left, Zampa inexplicably hooked David Moody with two men catching in the deep behind square, and Paris held on to the catch.
South Australia had looked on track to win at 3 for 255, needing just 90 from 91 balls. Ferguson played magnificently as he had done against WA in their last Marsh Cup meeting and threatened to steal the show. His 123 featured 20 glorious boundaries and came from 150 balls after he had entered at 1 for 1 following Henry Hunt's fall to a stunning one-handed catch from Ashton Agar at point.
Ferguson shared a 130-run stand with Jake Weatherald, who made 63, and then a 91-run partnership with Tom Cooper to put South Australia in control.
But when he fell to Kelly, chipping a catch to midwicket, the game swung completely. South Australia lost four wickets for just 18 runs with Kelly taking three of them to take his fourth first-class five-wicket haul. The Redbacks abandoned the chase with Mennie and Zampa at the crease but despite Zampa's 37, they fell seven balls short of escaping with a draw.
Earlier in the day, Marsh continued his stunning form, posting his second century of the Shield season and his third in all formats following his match-winning unbeaten hundred in the Marsh Cup final against Queensland.
WA were chasing quick runs trying to set up a declaration but needed to be careful not to be bowled out after losing Cam Green and Josh Inglis in quick succession. Marsh had some fortune with a couple of edges finding the boundary but also played some trademark strokes. He got superb support again from Agar, who made 45 not out. WA declared shortly after Marsh reached his 28th first-class century to give their bowlers 70 overs. They only needed 68.5 to take ten wickets.
