Test batsman Mike Hussey scored a determined 30 not out as Western Australia fought their way to 2-65 at lunch on day one of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria on Thursday.
Victoria captain Cameron White made use of the overcast conditions and green-tinged MCG pitch to send the visitors in to bat and opening bowler Cameron McKay made two key breakthroughs to claim 2-21 from eight overs.
Lunch was taken 16 minutes early because of rain with Hussey on 30 from 56 deliveries with only one boundary and Marcus North unbeaten on two.
Former Test seamer McKay bowled a probing fourth-stump line and had Marcus Harris caught behind for one in the second over of the match.
Debutant Sam Whiteman, 20, battled hard for his 29 before he was caught at first slip by White at 2-63.
Hussey began nervously and was almost out for a first-ball duck. The 73-Test veteran inside-edged a delivery from James Pattinson to Test gloveman Matthew Wade who was unable to grasp a difficult and low half-chance.
The 37-year-old Hussey is stand-in captain this week for the Warriors after North stepped down from the role to concentrate on his form.
North’s resignation as skipper and the decision to leave former Test batsman Shaun Marsh out of the side – for form reasons according to the Warriors – follow an boozy incident during the Perth Scorchers’ Champions League Twenty20 campaign in South Africa last month.
The Perth players were out celebrating the 21st birthday of Marsh’s brother Mitchell in Cape Town and the quality of training sessions for the next two days was affected, according to a statement by the Western Australia Cricket Association.
Mitchell Marsh is playing for the Warriors this week after national selectors said his behaviour in Cape Town didn’t help his chances of selection for the Australia A clash with South Africa at the SCG.
Western Australia’s pace bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile and opener Liam Davis as well as Victoria’s Andrew McDonald, John Hastings, Rob Quiney and Glenn Maxwell have all been selected for Australia A.