Ladder-leaders NSW remain undefeated with their star pacemen obliterating Western Austraila's top order on a dry fourth-day SCG pitch
Match Report:
ScorecardTest quicks' reverse-swing masterclass destroys WA
With Test quick Mitchell Starc leading the way, NSW's all-star pace battery has ripped through Western Australia to secure a hefty win for the Marsh Sheffield Shield leaders at the SCG.
The Blues' trio of Test speedsters were all among the wickets, wreaking havoc with a reverse-swinging ball as WA capitulated on the final day to be all out for 128 for a 223-run winning margin.
WA resumed at 3-28 but any hopes of batting through the final day were almost immediately dashed as Starc and Josh Hazlewood cut a swathe through the top-order.
After beating the bat several times, Starc kick-started WA's demise by removing Marcus Stoinis (3) and then dangerman D'Arcy Short (21).
Hazlewood chimed in with his first wickets of the match, clean bowling WA captain Ashton Turner for 3 and Cameron Green for a first-ball duck, with Josh Inglis only narrowly surviving the hat-trick ball.
That left WA at 7-41, having lost 6-15 including two late wickets before stumps on day three.
Western Australia's batters had no answers for New South Wales' potent pace attack! @MarshGlobal | #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/t2xGeqzAc1%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 14, 2019
Hazlewood secured the match-winning wicket for 3-7 from 7.3 typically frugal overs.
NSW's third Test paceman Pat Cummins bowled just one short spell on the final day for 1-16 off seven overs.
Inglis was the only WA batter to offer serious resistance, hitting 46 before being dismissed in unlikely fashion as Steve Smith picked up a rare wicket.
Steve Smith has a wicket... in bizarre (and lucky) circumstances! Watch #NSWvWA: https://t.co/bT2LWJka8G pic.twitter.com/d0PKdLMsHo%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 14, 2019
The wicketkeeper fired a drive into the foot of close-in fielder Moises Henriques with the ball ricocheting across the wicket and into the hands of Nick Larkin.
Smith managed to get plenty of turn with his leg-spin and, after having an earlier chance dropped, ended with figures of 1-10 from six tidy overs.
Test spinner Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe both went wicketless after sharing five wickets in the first innings.
The victory continues NSW's flawless start to the Shield season and opens up a massive lead for the Blues at the top of the standings.
NSW Blues: Daniel Hughes, Daniel Solway, Steven Smith, Moises Henriques, Nick Larkin, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Western Australia: D'Arcy Short, Josh Philippe, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner (c), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Agar, Matthew Kelly, Liam Guthrie, Liam O'Connor