Sheffield Shield: Rain threatening WA’s hopes of defeating Queensland and claiming second win of season

Rain in Brisbane is threatening to ruin WA’s hopes of defeating Queensland and securing their second win of the Sheffield Shield season. The visitors endured a second-innings collapse from 137 without loss to all out for 229 on the third day of the clash, setting the Bulls a victory target of 267 at Allan Border Field. Veteran WA seamers Cameron Gannon (3-26 from nine overs) and Joel Paris (2-15 from nine overs) started brilliantly with the ball in the fourth innings, running through a batting line-up including Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja to reduce Queensland 6-43 before stumps was called early due to bad light. The day was interrupted by rain and another downpour of up to 70mm is being forecast for Brisbane tomorrow, with the inclement weather appearing set to torpedo WA’s chances of claiming their first shield win since November. Gannon, who has re-assumed his mantle as this season’s leading shield wicket-taker with 38, claimed both Khawaja and Labuschagne courtesy of leg-side strangles in the first innings. He said he was happier to see the pair depart in more conventional fashion in the second. “I think when you’re playing (against) guys of that quality, I don’t think you will ever really run in and go ‘I’m all over this bloke’, because you just know what they’ve got in the locker,” Gannon said. “We do enough research, I have played against these guys a lot, I know them really well. It’s just about trying to get put balls in the area where you think you’ll be most effective and hopefully, the odds will be in your favour. “In the first innings, I got really lucky, I burgled two of the best batters in Australia. I’ve bowled plenty of good balls and not taken wickets, so I guess we just call it even. “We’re in a great spot. Hopefully, we get enough play in tomorrow, with a bit of rain around, to finish it and get a win. Sam Fanning again fell agonisingly short of breaking through for his first shield hundred, with WA’s new opener adding five to his overnight score before edging Jem Ryan to Jimmy Peirson behind the stumps to depart for 87. Cam Bancroft (72) was the first of four wickets which fell to the part-time medium pace of Labuschagne (4-22), being bowled by a half-tracker which kept low and moved in significantly off the seam. Promoted up to No.3, Cooper Connolly (10) edged Tom Straker — who came into the game as an injury substitute for Jack Wildermuth — to Labuschagne at second slip, before his Australia teammate Josh Inglis (one) tamely chipped Steve McGiffin to Straker at mid-wicket. In WA’s late bowling blitz, Khawaja (two) appeared to disagree with being given out lbw off the bowling of Gannon before Labuschagne (14) slashed Paris into the gully, where Corey Rocchiccioli claimed the chance at the second attempt.