Copeland helps NSW close in on victory

Another horrible top order collapse by Western Australia has put NSW on the verge of victory in the Sheffield Shield clash at Optus Stadium.

Chasing 317 for victory, WA collapsed to 6-64 before finishing the third day at 6-115, with Marcus Stoinis on 52 and Ashton Agar on 20.

Shaun Marsh fell for a duck after his gritty 81 in the first innings, while Hilton Cartwright (8), Will Bosisto (0). Ash Turner (1), and Josh Inglis (0) also fell cheaply.

In nine Shield innings this season, WA have suffered what can be labelled a top-order collapse in eight of them.

Some individual brilliance from the likes of Shaun and Mitch Marsh has got them over the line in two of those matches.

But their top order implosion against NSW on Thursday has put them on the cusp of defeat.

"It happens in every form of cricket all around the world," Stoinis said of the top order collapses this season.

"You've got to get better. But we train every day, we train all year, we train for 10 years, and it still happens."

The Blues were dismissed for 253 in their second innings, with allrounder Stoinis (3-43) and Jhye Richardson (3-58) doing the bulk of the damage.

Moises Henriques top scored with 48, while Jack Edwards (47) and Kurtis Patterson (43) also chipped in with handy totals.

But any hope of a WA victory soon evaporated as the top-order crumbled.

Bosisto was the first to fall when he was trapped lbw by Trent Copeland (3-54).

And WA were reeling at 2-1 when Shaun Marsh departed.

Skipper Mitch Marsh (30) offered some resistance, but it was ended when he was bowled by Nathan Lyon.

The scoreboard read 6-64 when Inglis was stumped off the bowling of Lyon, before some late heroics from Stoinis ensured WA made it to stumps.

Earlier in the day, NSW opener Nick Larkin (29) endured a scary moment when he was struck on the stem guard at the back of his helmet by a Richardson bouncer.

Larkin, who lost sight of the ball and turned away moments before it struck him, needed a replacement guard after the incident.

The 28-year-old escaped injury but was dismissed next over when he was trapped lbw by Mitch Marsh (2-29).

Marsh lost his radar in his fifth over when he bowled two consecutive full tosses above waist height, and another full toss a few balls later.

WA's TOP-ORDER COLLAPSES THIS SEASON

*4-42 against Victoria

*5-45 against Victoria

*2-5 against Tasmania

*3-42 against Queensland

*4-44 against South Australia

*2-24 against South Australia

*4-68 against NSW

*6-64 against NSW

Western Australia XI: Hilton Cartwright, William Bosisto, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh (c), Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Kelly

NSW XI: Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Jason Sangha, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Jack Edwards, Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott, Nathan Lyon, Harry Conway