Agar shines for WA on turning SCG deck

For the second day in a row, a spinner has turned the Sheffield Shield game at the SCG on its head.

After NSW tweaker Stephen O'Keefe claimed a five-wicket haul on day one, Western Australia's Ashton Agar went one better to set up an intriguing final two days of play.

The left-armer moved to open the debate about O'Keefe's status as the nation's No.2 spinner with career-best figures of 6-110 from a mammoth 36-over effort.

At stumps, the Warriors were 0-14 in their second dig to trail NSW by 68 runs, with Cameron Bancroft (six) and Jonathan Wells (six) unbeaten at the crease.

Agar's outing is sure to catch the eye of national selectors ahead of next year's tour of India, with the spinner not selected in a Test side since his memorable two appearances on debut during the 2013 Ashes in England.

"It was a great opportunity to bowl on a spinning wicket. You've got to take those opportunities as spinners and do your best," Agar said at the end of the day's play.

"I probably let it go a bit in the middle session. I didn't bowl as well as I could've.

"But it was nice to come back, bowl with a newer ball. That made a massive difference out there. Bowl with a harder ball, get a bit more purchase and get some reward with it."

 

Paceman Jason Behrendorff's 4-83 off 19 overs also played a helping hand for the Warriors, as did two impressive reflex catches from captain Michael Klinger.

However, the day belonged to Agar, who ignited a comeback by triggering a late-order NSW collapse with the prize wicket of skipper Moises Henriques (41) early in the third session.

Only some carefree swinging from Doug Bollinger (19) saved a little face for the home side, who lost 5-48 in the space of 14 overs and squandered a strong chance to bat WA out of the game.

Agar also showed his toughness after playing through a finger issue following an attempted catch from a Doug Bollinger slog that rocketed back to him.

 

The 23-year-old was attended to by team medicos before coming back to take the final wicket.

"I got a fingertip to it and I knew straightaway this came out of the joint, but it went in pretty cleanly. There's no damage to the bone I don't think," he said.

"I can move it around a bit. It'll just be a bit fat, but I'll be fine."

The Blues appeared destined to post a strong first-innings score earlier in the day when Nic Maddinson pocketed the match's first century with a fighting 116.

Starting Saturday on 1-24, the hosts looked shaky when they lost two wickets in the first session and Kurtis Patterson joined a slow-starting Maddinson at the crease.

The pair got their eye in and dominated the second session, taking a particular liking to the part-time offspin of William Bosisto (0-27 off six) before Patterson fell before tea.

His crucial 60 came just two weeks after a knock of 111 in a Shield win against Queensland.

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