Blues dominate Redbacks, cement top spot

New South Wales have put themselves in the box seat to host the Marsh Sheffield Shield final with a commanding 133-run win over South Australia at Sydney's Bankstown Oval. 

Set 403 to win, the Redbacks slumped to 3-46 before half-centuries to experienced middle-order trio Callum Ferguson (82), Tom Cooper (62) and Travis Head (57) steadied the ship. 

Ultimately though, the pursuit always looked unlikely, and the outstanding Trent Copeland built on his first-innings five-fer to take 4-60 and finish with match figures of 9-123.

Copeland was eclipsed for player-of-the-match honours by Blues opener Daniel Hughes, who yesterday made a second century for the match to set up an imposing total. 

NSW sit in first position on the ladder on 49.76 points with two rounds to play. 

The Redbacks briefly seemed in with a chance of an unlikely win at 3-141, and then 4-244, only for Trent Copeland to rip through the lower order to dismiss South Australia for 269, 

Resuming at 1-41, SA lost 2-5 to open the day before Head and Ferguson added 95 for the fourth wicket, with the former on the attack during a 67-ball knock.

Ferguson and Cooper then added 103 for the fifth wicket only for young paceman Liam Hatcher (3-52) to make a double breakthrough and signal the beginning of the end for the Redbacks.

Copeland, who picked up five wickets in the first innings and had already claimed the pivotal wicket of Head, made short work of the tail.

Test spinner Nathan Lyon picked up the first two wickets to fall on day four, before collecting the match-winning scalp for figures of 3-85 from 33 overs.

With two wins from their eight outings, fourth-placed South Australia need other results to go their way if their Shield final hopes are to remain intact.