Queensland skipper James Hopes has thrown down the gauntlet to rising teenage spinner Ashton Agar to bowl Western Australia to a fourth-day victory on a turning Gabba.
Left-armer Agar, already earmarked as a Test prospect, has burst onto the first-class scene in the past fortnight but the Bulls plan to test his mettle in an unlikely record run-chase.
The Sheffield Shield leaders face a massive final-day assignment when they resume at 2-88 on Thursday morning, requiring another 352 runs for outright points.
Queensland must score at a challenging rate of 3.66 runs per over to make the target of 440 on a wicket starting to wear but Hopes believes they have enough time if the top-order doesn’t crumble.
“On that pitch and on this (fast) field, if we are batting at the end of the day then it will be a close thing,” he said.
“It’s going to turn and, to be honest, they have a young spinner who is pretty impressive and he’s going to get an opportunity to bowl them to a win tomorrow.
“The game could hang a little bit on how we negotiate him but if we have batsmen who are in at tea we’ve got a good chance.”
Ashton, to be a net bowler for Australia’s Test squad in India, has so far enjoyed his first trip to the Gabba, taking 2-47 in the first innings before rubbing salt into the Bulls wounds with the bat on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old combined with fellow tail-ender Michael Hogan to blast a WA record of 94 for the last wicket in one hour of fireworks before tea.
Their lusty stand – with Agar smoking 53 off 48 balls and Hogan 43no off 38 – took the Warriors to 496 in their second innings and put them in command.
Western Australia have not lost a Shield match at the Gabba since 2002 and their day-three domination looks set to continue their remarkable away record.
The game was evenly-poised at 6-240 when nightwatchman Jason Behrendorff was dismissed off the second ball of the day.
But journeyman John Rogers (89) and rookie gloveman Sam Whiteman (51) grabbed the momentum with a 130-run stand after wicketkeeper Chris Hartley uncharacteristically spilt a regulation catch off Rogers on 39.
“I’ve played with Chris for 10 years now and I reckon that would be just the second one in that time that he’s dropped that you would consider an easy chance,” said Hopes, who chastised his side’s effort in the field.
“We expect better than that.”
Queensland have only once passed 400 this season and much lies on the shoulders of recalled opener Greg Moller (48 not out) who has looked the Bulls’ most assured batsmen in the topsy-turvy match.