Western Australia have been bowled out for 434 by South Australia shortly after lunch on day two of the Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval, with Test hopeful Ashton Agar falling just shy of a maiden first-class century.
Agar who was denied a well-deserved ton in his surprise Test debut in Australia’s first Ashes clash in Nottingham during the winter, stumbled on 93 when he glanced down legside into the gloves of Tim Ludeman off the bowling of Redbacks rookie Trent Lawford (2-86).
Lawford’s vital breakthrough threatened to derail the Warriors’ tail-end surge, but an explosive knock from paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile (41) that included four sixes and three boundaries from just 27 balls pushed the visitors’ total above 400.
Coulter-Nile, who made his one-day international debut for Australia in September, went down swinging when he was clean bowled by Joe Mennie (1-72) before Nathan Rimmington was the last to depart for 26 after being caught at deep mid-wicket off the spin of Adam Zampa (3-93).
Redbacks captain Johan Botha (4-120) was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts despite coming under heavy fire early on day two, while Lawford was valuable with the scalps of Agar and Sam Whiteman (65).
Michael Klinger and Phil Hughes, who was axed from the Test squad during the Ashes, will open the batting for South Australia.
The Warriors resumed play at 6-269 after Agar and Whiteman salvaged the innings on day one following a collapse of 5-44 that left WA in strife at 6-200.
Agar wasted little in time in registering his fifth domestic half century since making his first-class debut for Western Australia in January.
Whiteman soon joined him in passing 50 for the first time this summer, the duo’s potent 147-run partnership eventually broken by Lawford when Whiteman was caught behind.