Warriors earn Shield final berth with draw

Western Australia will return to the Bupa Sheffield Shield final for the second straight year after securing a draw at the WACA against NSW that elimated last year's champions from the race.

The Alcohol.Think Again Warriors will meet Victoria in Australia's domestic cricket showpiece event at a venue yet to be announced by Cricket Australia that is complicated by the ongoing Cricket World Cup. 

A 324-run partnership between Cameron Bancroft and Michael Klinger ensured Western Australia's progression to the final and denied NSW the outright win they needed.

With Victoria beating Tasmania in Alice Springs to sew up top spot on the Shield table ahead of next week's final, WA only needed to draw the match at the WACA Ground against NSW.

With WA reaching 4-483 in their first innings in response to NSW's 407, the Warriors declared on the stroke of 2.30pm - one ball into the 207th over of their innings - forcing an early tea, which was the earliest point the match could be called off.  

Bancroft and Klinger came together on the second day with WA at 1-3 and set about batting NSW out of the match.

Bancroft resumed the final day on 144 and was finally dismissed for 211, lbw to Nathan Lyon. It was his highest first-class score and the 22-year-old opening batsmen has now made three centuries this season on top of a 99.

Klinger added just two runs to his overnight total to be dismissed for 161 from 440 balls and has made four Shield centuries in his first season with WA after crossing from South Australia.

He has made 983 Shield runs this season on top of starring in WA's one-day cup win and the Perth Scorchers' Big Bash League triumph.

The pair's 334-run partnership is WA's best ever for the second wicket surpassing the 254 between Mike Veletta and Geoff Marsh against Queensland in Brisbane in 1985.