Slater enlivens Blues' chase

Michael Slater has roared back to life on another day of unusual twists and turns in the Pura Cup clash between Tasmania and New South Wales at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The aggressive opener's attainment of a thirty-third first-class century provided the main highlight of the second day's play, at the end of which the Blues find themselves at a score of 4/193 in reply to the Tigers' 362.

Until the left arm orthodox prowess of Daniel Marsh (3/35) sent the Blues into a tailspin in late afternoon, this had largely been New South Wales' day. Despite continuing to battle in vain to beat the bat of Ricky Ponting (187*), it began with the visitors managing to exert something of a hold over the right hander's scoring rate by setting deep and defensive fields throughout the morning. This had the twin effect of drying up the Tigers' progress and of reducing the star batsman's chances of recording double centuries in successive Pura Cup matches. Once young wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer (21) lost his wicket as he drove a Shane Lee (2/47) delivery uppishly to point, the end for the locals indeed came quickly.

Despite a rushed visit to hospital last week after the onset of difficulties with his breathing, Slater (100) gave the appearance of a man very much at the top of his powers as the reply began. Against an attack which battled for line and length, the Test opener thrashed twelve punishing boundaries in an innings which provided a heady mixture of aggression and defence. Together with Corey Richards (69), the energetic right hander guided the Blues to a score of 0/146 an hour before the close. By that stage, the upper hand in the contest had clearly been assumed by the visitors.

Not for the first time in this match, though, fortunes turned in almost the twinkling of an eye. Courtesy of a brilliant tumbling catch full length to his right, Marsh initiated the demise of Richards. Sixteen minutes later, Steve Waugh (7) lobbed back a second catch, affording the spinner his hundredth first-class wicket, after being beaten by Marsh's flight. Then, Slater himself became the third player in succession to be deceived, incredibly enough, by a full toss, driving back another regulation catch off a leading edge after the ball had dropped on him quickly in the tricky cross-breeze ripping across the ground. By the time that David Saker (1/58) trapped Brad Haddin (1) in front of his stumps with a yorker, New South Wales was suddenly 4/188 and matters were evenly poised again.

Alongside the sight of two centuries and five ducks in the Tasmanian innings, the spectre of three return catches off full tosses provided another very peculiar touch to the game. Not as novel nor as intriguing, though, is the forecast that rain will sweep into an until now sunny Hobart during the two closing days of what has developed into a fascinating contest.