Hardie, Fanning heroics see WA home in thriller

A hamstrung Sam Fanning teamed up with captain Aaron Hardie to complete an incredible two-wicket win for Western Australia over Queensland at the WACA Ground. 

Player-of-the-match Hardie finished 80no from 128 deliveries to hold the WA innings together as they lost three wickets early on the final day to slip to 8-161 in pursuit of 201. 

In a see-sawing contest, the sight of Fanning, who had torn his hamstring the previous day while chasing a ball to the boundary, was yet another twist, and the left-hander held firm with his captain in an inspired partnership.

Fanning, 25, was forced to crab-walk between wickets owing to his injury, which also curbed any chance for a quick single between the pair. 

Yet they soldiered on, Hardie doing the bulk of the scoring and taking most of the strike while his partner battled through 82 deliveries. 

Bartlett was a standout performer for Queensland, picking up three wickets today to take his match total to nine and toiling determinedly until the end.

But it was Fanning who had the final say, tucking the ball through square leg and ironically ending the match with a two.

"It was a crazy game," Hardie said post-match.

"It's quite funny; we did a whole preseason, and our best laid plans went out the window, but it was a really good game of cricket.

"The first two days didn't go to plan but then on day three to bowl a team out for 68 – Joel Paris and Jhye Richardson, those guys really stepped up … they pretty much won us the game there.

"Then today, for 'Fanners' (Fanning) to come out and have a really clear plan and win the game like that coming back for two was pretty ironic."

Hardie, who was on 55 when Fanning arrived at the crease with WA needing 40 runs to win, revealed he didn't know his batting partner had to run sideways due to his injury.

"So that was a bit of fun for the first single," the WA skipper quipped.

"He thought he'd be able to come back for twos early on but then we figured he wouldn't be able to do that, so then it was a case of just playing the game. Queensland obviously knew what was going on and set the field accordingly.

"But I had a lot of faith in him to be able to hold up an end and contribute with the bat.

"It's going to be a shame because he's certainly not going to be able to play the next few games, which is unfortunate."

Queensland captain Mitchell Swepson cycled through his quicks on in a desperate bid for the final two wickets, though even as WA edged towards victory, he opted not to bowl himself.

The match gives new WA head coach Beau Casson a first-up win in the Shield, while Queensland coach James Hopes will be licking his wounds following two defeats in the One-Day Cup.