Western Australia are all but into the Sheffield Shield final thanks to unbeaten centuries from Cameron Bancroft and Michael Klinger on the third day of their clash with NSW at the WACA Ground.

Bancroft and Klinger are both on 110, with the pair moving WA to 1-236 at tea on the third day in reply to NSW’s first-innings score of 407.

With Victoria on track to beat Tasmania in Alice Springs to guarantee their hosting of next week’s Shield final, all WA require is to draw the game with NSW to book their place in a second straight decider after losing to the Blues last season.

NSW need to win to make the final, but now that looks a forlorn hope with just four sessions in the game remaining, and them requiring 19 more wickets on a pitch offering little support to seamers and spinners.

Bancroft and Klinger came together with WA 1-3 after Doug Bollinger dismissed Marcus Harris for three, but they have now been unmoved since combining for a dogged partnership of 233 runs in 578 balls.

The partnership is the biggest-ever-second wicket stand for WA against NSW, and is closing in on the Warriors’ best of 254.

Opener Bancroft has now scored three centuries and a 99 this Shield season after coming into it needing to prove himself.

However, now with 702 runs at 44, the 22-year-old has well and truly shown he is a player of the future for WA.

And Klinger has continued his remarkable debut season with WA after crossing from SA.

He has now scored four centuries on his way to 932 Shield runs at 62 on top of starring in WA’s one-day cup triumph and the Perth Scorchers’ Big Bash League win.