EAP let Western Australia off the hook

Tony Munro

East Asia-Pacific (EAP) is staring at a run-chase of 314 after having Western Australia 5 for 45 on the first day of its fifth round two-day game in the Australian Country Championship in Albury on Thursday.

When Fijian Sakaria Lomani had WA captain Rodney Ford trapped lbw for 2, EAP seemed assured of at least a first-innings victory with the Sandgropers decimated.

However, WA's Matt Fink and Nick Willis combined to add 76 runs to start a miraculous rescue. At the end of the day's play, Willis was unbeaten on 130 and WA was all-out for 313.

Earlier, Lomani and Nou had ripped through the top-order taking 4 for 7.

The task will be a strenuous test of the EA-P batsmen's ability to build an innings, given the vast majority of their domestic cricket is limited-overs matches.

Western Australia Country 314 (S Lomani 3-47, L Nou 2-60, W Gavera 2-60)