Western Australia 7 for 255 (Marsh 77, Green 50*, Gannon 4-74) against Queensland
Shaun Marsh continued his tantalising form with another half century but a skilful spell of seam bowling from Cameron Gannon helped Queensland restrict Western Australia on an even first day of the Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba.
Marsh, playing his 100th Shield match for Western Australia, salvaged the visitors innings with a sumptuous 77 after they had slumped to 2 for 2 in the third over having been sent in to bat.
Marsh struck 13 elegant boundaries in his 167-ball innings. He looked set for another hundred but fell just after tea, getting an inside edge onto pad to be caught at short leg off Mitch Swepson.
Marsh now has scores of 77, 82, 85, 85 and 214 in 10 innings for Western Australia across both the Marsh Cup and the Shield this summer although it is unlikely he will be recalled to the Test team.
After Marsh’s departure, Western Australia collapsed at the hands of Gannon. Having lured Sam Whiteman into a false drive with his first ball of the day Gannon returned after tea to take three more wickets and leave Western Australia struggling at 7 for 171, having been 2 for 120 prior to tea following a 118-run stand between Marcus Stoinis (44) and Marsh.
However, Queensland would not take another wicket for the day with promising allrounder Cameron Green and Jhye Richardson combining for an unbeaten 84-run partnership before bad light stopped play. Green looked very comfortable in making his maiden first-class half-century in his 11th innings and he got good support from Richardson who remained 35 not out.
Earlier, there were further concerns for Test aspirant Cameron Bancroft who was caught at leg gully for a duck. It is the third time in three Shield matches he has been dismissed in such fashion.