Voges century puts WA on top in Shield final

Adam Voges' sublime summer has continued as the Western Australia skipper scored his sixth century of the summer to put his charges in firm control of the Bupa Sheffield Shield final after day one in Hobart.

At stumps, the Alcohol.Think Again Western Warriors are 4-310 after winning the toss and electing to bat on a wicket that has so far provided little assistance to the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers bowlers.

Voges finished the day on an even 100 as he and wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Whiteman (37 not out) survived the second new ball to record a partnership of 105 on a crisp day in the southern capital.

Voges entered the match sitting eighth on the table for most runs in a single Shield season, but quickly climbed the leaderboard to surpass Dean Jones, Bill Ponsford, Michael Bevan and Graham Yallop to occupy fourth spot on the table.

The 35-year-old also became just the seventh player to score a century in his 100th Sheffield Shield match, joining the likes of Bevan, Greg Chappell and David Hookes.

Highlights of Voges's sixth 100 of the season

Victoria spinner Fawad Ahmed was the pick of the Bushrangers bowlers, taking 3-65 from 24 overs as Matthew Wade’s men were unable to impose themselves on a defiant WA batting line-up.

Quick Single: Fawad boosts Test chances on day one

"I wanted to be proactive today," Voges said after play.

"I wanted to make sure I was being busy and trying to tick the scoreboard along.

"It helps when you come in and the boys have put on a 100-run plus opening partnership, it gives you a bit more freedom to play with.

"As the ball got a bit older and started to reverse a little bit things got a little bit tougher, but that second new ball came on nicely to the bat.

"It was just about trying to build a good partnership with the guys and I thought Sammy (Whiteman) did a great job as well."

Half-centuries to opening pair Marcus Harris (81) and Cameron Bancroft (55) bolstered the imposing Western Australia total in a match they must win outright if they are to complete the unprecedented feat of winning all three domestic trophies in one season.

The Warriors cruised through the morning session unblemished as the WA openers survived the international-calibre new ball attack of James Pattinson (0-84) and Peter Siddle (1-42), then set about asserting their dominance as the shine of the new ball wore off.

Combining for their first century stand of the summer, Harris and Bancroft played with intent and caution to notch 130, forcing Wade to call upon workhorse Siddle again with immediate dividend, removing Bancroft with a ball that squared up the right-hander and provided the captain a simple catch behind the stumps.

Highlights of Cam Bancroft's fifty

Harris continued to play his strokes despite losing his partner, but No.3 Michael Klinger found the going tough, taking 25 balls to get off the mark before striding forward for two cover drives every coaching manual would approve of.

Entering the match as the competition’s leading wicket-taker, Fawad was brought on from the southern end for an extended spell to target the Warriors’ powerful middle order.

Harris hits 81 for Warriors

While locating suitable lodgings has been a concern for the 'home' side Victoria, the Blundstone Arena surface was more than accommodating for the Western Australian batsman.

Fawad opted to take the pitch out the equation, beating Harris with a perfectly flighted leg-break before Klinger was undone by looping delivery to be caught behind.

The leg-spinner claimed his third with a deceiving wrong-un to have Shaun Marsh (6) well caught by Wade, but that’s where the celebrations ended for the table-topping Bushrangers.

Marcus Harris is bowled by Fawad Ahmed 

"He’s in great touch," Fawad said of Voges.

"Some of the shots were unbelievable ... he was seeing it like a football.

"Sometimes he doesn’t use his feet and still manages to play some really good shots.

"This is just confidence he’s got from the whole season.

"He’s doing so well for the whole season, and he made a hundred in each innings when we played against him last time.

"He’s a captain, he’s in the grand final, they’ve won two competitions and they’re full of confidence.

"He’s playing really well and the wicket is pretty good as well."

Voges has praise for Fawad Ahmed

Despite just four wickets falling on the opening day, Voges was optimistic that the surface would offer enough for his bowlers to force the result they need.

"Five days is a long time," the skipper said.

"Hopefully the wicket gets lower, slower and breaks up as the game goes on.

"I think we’ve got some good weather, at least for tomorrow, so who knows.

"Five days is a very long time, but at least if we get 400 plus in the first innings we give ourselves a chance and we’re in the game.

"And then, a bit of scoreboard pressure, we bowl well, you never know."

Victoria opted to host the Shield final in Hobart with the MCG unavailable due to the World Cup, and with no other suitable first-class venue in the state.

Victoria: Chris Rogers, Rob Quiney, Matthew Wade (capt), Fawad Ahmed, Scott Boland, Dan Christian, Peter Handscomb, David Hussey, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis, James Pattinson, Jon Holland (12th man).

Western Australia: Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Michael Klinger, Adam Voges (capt), Shaun Marsh, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Rimmington, Andrew Tye, Simon Mackin, David Moody (12th man).

The pick of the Vics reflects on day one