Tait and Cullen demolish Western Australia

Western Australia 9 for 178 (North 73, Tait 4-50, Cullen 4-38) trail South Australia 457 (Harris 82, Deitz 90, Ferguson 114) by 279 runs
Scorecard

Shaun Tait and Dan Cullen took four wickets apiece to demolish Western Australia on the second day of their Pura Cup match at the WACA. By the close WA had limped to 9 for 178, still 279 adrift of South Australia, who took their total to 457 earlier in the day, with Callum Ferguson hitting 114.

Tait sent down a stinging six-over spell. First he removed Justin Langer lbw for 1, and then knocked over Murray Goodwin and Chris Rogers as the Warriors limped to 3 for 49 at tea. Later he returned to bowl Brad Williams for a duck, and finished with 4 for 50 for the day.

Marcus North was the only WA batsman to survive for long, striking 73, with eight fours and two sixes. He put on exactly 100 with Shaun Marsh, who made a sedate 34. But North eventually fell to Ryan Harris, and then the offspinner Cullen came into his own, taking four cheap wickets as WA dipped to within sight of the follow-on.

Earlier Ferguson registered his highest score as SA posted their largest total of a horrible season which has seen them planted at the foot of the Pura Cup table. Resuming at 6 for 295, they piled on 130 before lunch, with Ferguson, 20, primarily responsible, bashing 20 boundaries and adding some valuable partnerships with the lower order.

It was a frustrating time for WA, who hold a two-point lead at the top of the table, and there was further concern when Williams left the field with a suspected back injury. Steve Magoffin picked up the wicket of Ryan Harris (37) for the best figures of 3 for 91.