Blues facing uphill battle

Western Australia had NSW on the ropes at stumps on day two of their Pura Cup match at the WACA.

The Blues were wobbling at 3-121 - still 379 runs behind the Warriors' mammoth first innings haul of 7(dec)-500.

Michael Bevan (49no) was once again leading the resistance for the visitors with Graeme Rummans (26no) also at the crease.

The Blues crawled to the close as they attempted to halt their woeful record in the four-day game in Perth having lost four of their last five matches outright.

But NSW had some welcome news late in the day with opening batsman Brett Van Deinsen's back injury not as serious as first thought and was a chance of batting tomorrow.

The 24-year-old injured himself bowling (0-31) in the opening session and was taken to hospital for precautionary scans.

His absence forced debutant allrounder Grant Lambert into the opening position alongside wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin.

But Haddin (13) didn't help the cause pushing a ball to 'keeper Ryan Campbell off quick Jo Angel (2-34) to have the Blues at 1-20.

However Lambert (29) was quite impressive before he rocked onto the back foot one time too many and stepped onto his stumps off quick Brad Williams' (1-47) bowling.

The Blues' find-of-the-season Michael Clarke (1) came unstuck early to an brilliant diving catch by Campbell for Angel's second.

An outright win for the Warriors will see them leapfrog South Australia into second place on the Pura Cup ladder after Queensland defeated the Redbacks by 106 runs in Adelaide today.

Tasmania, which was equal on points with Western Australia heading into this match, starts its four-day match against Victoria tomorrow.

Meanwhile the Blues' ambitions are more modest, they're just trying to avoid the indignity of last place on the table.

Earlier Warriors captain Simon Katich ended their innings as the scoreboard ticked over to 500 with Campbell's (121) blistering hundred and Chris Rogers (96) the major contributors after they resumed at 4-333.

Campbell looked in devastating touch but Shane Lee's captaincy took a turn for the better with left-arm spinner Mark Higgs (2-99) dismissing the dangerous right-hander.

He added only 13 runs today before he top-edged an easy catch to deep gully off Higgs' first ball of the day.

But Campbell's delightful run-a-ball knock was a useful reminder for national selectors of his ability to dismantle a quality bowling attack.

Rogers and Brad Hogg (62) provided an invaluable 117-run partnership before Hogg fell chasing quick runs in pulling paceman Stuart Clark (2-90) straight to substitute Dale Turner at square leg.

And Rogers was out just four runs short of his maiden first class hundred in front of his father John who was watching in the stands.

John Rogers played Sheffield Shield for NSW in the late 1960s but never reached triple figures at first class level himself.

His son's patient innings ended when he also tried to pull Clark with Bevan taking the catch at deep backward square leg.

It was fair reward for the NSW quick who toiled without luck for much of his 39.1 overs.

Kade Harvey (14no) and Angel (4no) then meandered the score up to the declaration mark.