Behrendorff gives WA the edge

A four-wicket haul by fast bowler Jason Behrendorff has given Western Australia control against South Australia in their Sheffield Shield match.

The Warriors hold a 56-run lead with nine second-innings wickets in hand at stumps on Saturday's second day of play at Adelaide Oval.

Behrendorff's feats helped bowl SA out for 191, giving the visitors a 20-run lead on the first innings.

WA are 1-36 at stumps with openers Cameron Bancroft unbeaten on 22 and Behrendorff, sent in as a nightwatchman by captain Shaun Marsh, is yet to score.

Behrendorff earlier led a disciplined bowling attack, taking 4-55 from 21.1 overs while fellow paceman Michael Hogan, who was overlooked for WA's win against Tasmania last week, took 3-38 from 20 overs.

The duo stifled a South Australian batting line-up that never gained any serious momentum.

Callum Ferguson top-scored with a patient 40 but wickets fell around him: resuming at 0-18, SA quickly found themselves in a hole.

Opener Mark Cosgrove (four) was bowled in Behrendorff's opening over of the day.

Just three overs later, Kelvin Smith (17) was bowled around his legs by a Hogan delivery that clipped leg stump.

SA captain Travis Head (13) also fell cheaply when he firmly struck a drive back to paceman Simon Mackin, who completed a juggling catch to leave the Redbacks struggling at 3-42.

Experienced duo Ferguson and Tom Cooper (28) steadied with a grinding 61-run partnership but SA again lost another cluster of wickets - Cooper, Ferguson, Alex Ross (19) and Adam Zampa (eight) departed in the space of 46 runs.

WA's second innings began solidly with Bancroft and Marcus Harris putting on a 31-run stand before Harris (14) inexplicably left an indipper from Kane Richardson (1-7) and was bowled.