Western Australia 302 (Marsh 115, Ellis 4-76) and 5 for 436 dec (Whiteman 118, Bancroft 104, Marsh 88, Short 57*) drew with Tasmania 431 (McDermott 90, Wade 83, Morris 5-94) and 2 for 117 (Wade 57*)
Western Australia did their best to conjure a result against Tasmania but honours ended even on a surface that did not offer much deterioration. Shaun Marsh‘s prolific start to the season continued, but the most eye-catching aspect of the final day was a lively new-ball spell from Cameron Green.
Marsh clubbed 88 off 74 balls, falling just short of twin hundreds in the match, as he and D’Arcy Short enabled Western Australia to declare shortly after lunch setting a target of 307 in 61 overs.
Green, who has returned to bowling in this match for the first time in a year, was then handed the first over of the innings – it went for 14 runs, but that barely scratched the surface as he had Charlie Wakim in all sorts of problems: two outside edges through the slips and an inside edge (off a no-ball) past the keeper.
In his third over Green made the breakthrough when Jordan Silk spliced a short ball into the leg side where Matt Kelly held a good running catch from mid-on. As part of a careful return to the bowling crease, Green only bowled one more over – meaning he sent down 12 for the match – but so long as he comes through without any reaction it will be have been a very pleasing comeback as he continues to firm for a place in the Test squad following his limited-overs call-up.
The early stages of the chase suggested a good finish could be possible, but Tasmania shut up shop after the fall of the second wicket. Matthew Wade, in his first outing of the season, made his second half-century of the match.
Western Australia had resumed on 0 for 232 with Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman unbeaten with hundreds but both were gone in the first seven deliveries of the morning. Whiteman got an outside edge against Jackson Bird and Bancroft was caught down the leg side two balls later, briefly opening up thoughts that Tasmania could apply pressure.
However, that notion ended with a stand of 76 between Marsh and Green, the latter giving a sign of Western Australia’s intentions when he carved into the deep. Marsh cut loose, which included taking 21 off Jake Doran’s only over, but the benign conditions always made it unlikely they would force the result.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo