Now.
Carmine vs Western Australia
at Cw Oval
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
The tourists came out on top in a match where only one man could really control the fast bowlers: Rob Dauth, whose faultless 101 was a treat for the spectators scattered around the Oval. Yet, too many loose balls from the Carmine seamers ensured that the visitors crouched home in the penultimate over.
Justin Langer called correctly, and promptly decided on a day in the field on a wicket treacherously like that of the sandgropers' own in Perth. Steve Magoffin knew how to use a pitch with steepling bounce; a little added seam movement to a good length ball, and Bennett had no answer as the ball crashed into his pad. With Aseem Sharma giving the softest of return chances to another in-mover, and Dobson caught off the inside edge after an excruciating three, it seemed as though the game had been decided already.
Dauth stood tall, however, thudding eight fours in one of the finest knocks seen at the Oval. Reading the bounce perfectly, the international batsman had his sights set on a century early on, and was well supported by captain Mørk, who prodded around for 45 as the run rate crept up steadily. Excess shots against the spin removed them both, however, and with neither Dwyer, Nayak nor Heal able to prop up the rate in the late overs, the total of 220 for six seemed inadequate.
The Carmine seamers looked like they needed the fitness training ahead of the season. Amir's first over was a gem, with deliveries judged at around 90mph by the departing batsmen; Davis and Langer had no answer and nicked feebly behind the wicket. Ronchi decided to go into the first of his two gears - leaving everything instead of bashing everything - while Rogers assaulted Amir, taking him for four fours in the seventh over to cut the required rate by 9 per cent. Rogers eased to a fine 64, and though Mørk managed to take two wickets in a delayed powerplay, Marsh and Bandy calmly got their team home against the gentle spin served up by the remainding motley crew.
CW Carmine 220 for six (50)
RJ Dauth 101, H Mørk 45; SJ Magoffin 3/31, AC Voges 2/41
Western Australia 221 for five (48.1)
CJL Rogers 64, L Ronchi 47, SE Marsh 46*; MU Amir 3/73
Western Australia won by five wickets
Man of the Match: S. J. Magoffin (Western Australia)