Victoria cash in with early wickets

The Victorian Bushrangers are poised to take first innings points after dismissing Western Australia for a fairly modest 142 on the first day of the season opening match at the WACA Ground in Perth.

Former Bushranger Matthew Inness took three wickets for WA, but the Vics grip in the chase for the first points of the summer got stronger as David Hussey and Cameron White steered them to stumps after the loss of Hodge.

Western Australia were put behind the 'eight ball' early with six wickets falling before lunch as Victoria cashed in on the overcast conditions after they won the toss and elected to bowl first on a lively wicket.

That decision paid off with Warriors captain Mike Hussey out caught behind by Adam Crosthwaite for just four in the seventh over. Murray Goodwin's innings was brief as he faced just 10 balls before being trapped lbw without scoring by Allan Wise, while fellow speedstar Shane Harwood snuck the ball through, and bowled, Chris Rogers just when the opener appeared set for a big innings.

More trouble for the Warriors when Damien Martyn provided Cameron White with a regulation catch at second slip for, the then top score, 15 in the 20th over. Western Australia were on the ropes at 4-39.

On the verge of lunch a further two wickets fell, Shaun Marsh (5) with a swing and miss on Michael Lewis and Ryan Campbell (3) to the same shot in the next over off the bowling of Jonathan Moss.

At the first break, Lewis has 2/17, Moss 2/19 while Marcus North top scored with 16 in the Warriors total of 6 for 67.

Sunny conditions greeted the players apon their return after the lunch break. Wise and Moss put both Brett Dorey and North under pressure. With survival the key to the remainder of the first day both dug in, though Dorey tempted fate by leaving balls that went close to the stumps.

North loosened up and moved on to 34 with a hook shot of Harwood that raced to the boundary. Dorey had the dubious honour of guiding the score past the century mark in the 44th over, and at the half-way mark of the first day the Warriors had recovered to be 6-112.

However the home side were once again rocked with the quick dismissals of North (43) and Steve Magoffin (golden ball duck). Tail-enders are notorious for attacking as Williams showed when he whacked Moss to the boundary over mid-on only to attempt the same shot two balls later and hit straight to Lewis.

Mathew Inness, playing against his former team mates notched up four runs before edging through to keeper Crosthwaite. Harwood finished with 3/39 as the tea break was called for 10 minutes early.

Victorian openers Jason Arnberger and Michael Klinger got off to a reasonable start in the 40 minutes before the bowling change saw Inness trap Arnberger infront for 16. Inness claimed his second wicket as a Warrior when Klinger edged the ball to keeper Campbell and completed a treble with the return catch of Nick Jewell for 12.

Brad Hodge, 12th man duties in the Super Test that was completed yesterday, made the dash cross-country to take his place in the Bushranger line-up. With stumps approaching Williams got Hodge to nick the ball to Mike Hussey in the slips.

At stumps Victoria were 4 for 117 with only 26 runs needed for first points, a long day in the field looms unless the Warriors can end this partnership early when play resumes tomorrow.

Full scorecard available here.

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