Warriors remain well on top in Sydney

New South Wales opening batsman Greg Mail has fallen just eight runs short of a century in the Pura Cup match against Western Australia at the North Sydney Oval today. And on the back of Mail's disappointment, the Blues are struggling to avert outright defeat - at a second innings score of 6-246 at stumps on the third day, they hold an overall lead of just fifty-nine runs and six hours still to play.

Mail's steady, patient innings (which lasted 279 minutes in total) more than made up for his poor first innings performance, when he fell for just three inside the opening quarter hour of the match. With an equally determined Michael Bevan (57), he added 104 for the second wicket in a gritty stand that looked like handing the Blues a way back into the match. But the disastrous run out of the latter, after a similarly restrained innings that verged on three hours in length, opened the way for the Warriors to completely re-assume control.

The third morning began with the continuation of Western Australia's first innings. The visitors didn't spend long at the crease, however; the final two wickets fell for the addition of just three runs. Brendon Julian (76) added all of those runs but failed to go on with the excellent job that he had performed yesterday in plundering a tiring Blues attack.

New South Wales then went to the crease trailing by a massive 187 runs and facing a big assignment even as to do so much as draw the game. After surrendering the wicket of Brett van Deinsen (27) with the score on fifty-seven, Mail was joined by Bevan. The two placed a heavy emphasis on occupation of the crease.

In the process, the Warriors' bowlers endured their most frustrating period of the match. The predominantly defensive batting paved the way for sixteen maiden overs to be bowled between lunch and tea, and only one chance came the Warriors way - Mail was put down at slip off the bowling of Brad Oldroyd when on forty-two.

After the run out of Bevan at 161, Mail maintained his vigil while another thirty runs were added. But, only moments after his team had finally wiped away the deficit, he was deceived by a straight delivery from Julian (3/55). Hard hitting from captain Shane Lee (17) carried the score to 221 before he was the fourth batsman to be dismissed. The rot then set in, first innings heroes Mark Higgs (1) and Brad Haddin (8) both losing their wickets in the shadow of stumps to paceman Jo Angel (2/37).

Corey Richards (32*) and Shawn Bradstreet (3*) provided some stability by seeing out the day. But with only a modest lead at the Blues' disposal and only four wickets still standing, by far the most likely result is a Warriors win.