NSW captain Michael Clarke punished a costly fielding lapse by Western Australia on the second day of the season-opening Sheffield Shield clash at the WACA Ground.

At tea on day two the Blues were 5-199 in their first innings, in reply to WA’s 217.

The Blues only needed another 19 runs to take first-innings points, with Clarke on 70 and Moises Henriques on 36.

Clarke, who made just one in the limited overs clash between the sides on Sunday, looked in superb touch as the pitch flattened out, but was very fortunate to be given a life on 42.

With the Blues under pressure at 5-151, Clarke got an outside edge from the bowling of the unlucky Nathan Coulter-Nile.

The ball carried comfortably to Clarke’s former Test teammate, Shaun Marsh, at second slip, but he grassed the simple catch.

Later in the same over, Clarke top-edged a pull shot to fine leg, where the ball landed just in front of Nathan Rimmington as he charged in off the boundary.

It was the only time Clarke looked flustered in his innings, as he and Henriques put on an unbroken 71 for the sixth wicket to carry their side to within sight of first innings points.

Coulter-Nile also had opener Scott Henry (39) dropped in slips on 16 earlier in the day.

All-rounder Steven Smith, who made an unbeaten 99 in the one-day match, failed to replicate that form and fell to Rimmington (3-52) for a duck.

Veteran Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (2) lasted just 16 balls before falling LBW to Coulter-Nile.

Haddin played right across the line, but did not appear pleased with the decision.