Sean Abbott impresses but Sam Whiteman leads Western Australia's response
New South Wales were able to declare in mid-afternoon after a dominant batting display
Andrew McGlashan
20-Oct-2020
Sam Whiteman produced a positive half-century • Getty Images
Western Australia 2 for 152 (Whiteman 81*) trail New South Wales 6 for 443 dec (Henriques 167, Solway 86, Abbott 60*, Nevill 56*) by 291 runs
Sean Abbott added his name to the list of allrounders to make a mark early in the Sheffield Shield as he scored an unbeaten half-century then claimed two wickets, but a positive innings from opener Sam Whiteman kept Western Australia in touch.
Abbott and New South Wales captain Peter Nevill added an unbroken 118 for the sixth wicket to set up the declaration, building on the mammoth partnership of 244 between Moises Henriques and Daniel Solway.
Following a solid start, Western Australia were wobbling a touch at 2 for 71 when Abbott struck in consecutive overs but Whiteman responded with a flurry of attractive shots and alongside Cameron Green their third-wicket stand was worth 81 at stumps.
New South Wales resumed on 3 for 262 and after ensuring against an early losses Henriques looked keen to try and increase the tempo although for a little while it did not go entirely to plan
Henriques took his magnificent innings beyond 150 before his partnership with Solway eventually ended after 87 overs when the latter was bowled sweeping at Ashton Agar having faced 273 balls for his 86
Henriques soon followed when he failed to clear mid-on against Matthew Kelly then in the next over Jason Sangha clubbed to the same position when trying to go down the ground off Agar.
However, any hope Western Australia had of bringing the innings to a swift conclusion was stymied by Nevill and Abbott as the pair played with increasing freedom towards a mid-afternoon declaration.
Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft started confidently in reply and had a half-century stand by the time they strode off for tea, but after the break Abbott produced a terrific spell. Firstly he had Bancroft caught behind with a delivery that just nipped away outside off then Shaun Marsh, who scored a century last week, flashed a drive which was well held at third slip by Kurtis Patterson. Abbott's second spell finished at 5-1-12-2.
But Whiteman held firm, and flourished, in another compact and confident innings which included four boundaries in an over off Harry Conway. Green was more circumspect but also very solid as Nathan Lyon settled into what could be a heavy workload on a surface still very much in favour of the batsmen.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo