Marcus North regained form with a fine 87 on Thursday as Western Australia were bowled out for 248 late on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria at the MCG.
North, who stepped down this week as captain after scoring 23 runs in his side’s opening two games, was last man out when he was bowled by Test quick James Pattinson after attempting an ambitious off-drive with only No.11 Michael Hogan for support.
North hit eight fours and one six and faced 170 deliveries, adding 59 for the third wicket with Test batsman Mike Hussey (65).
Pattinson and Test teammate Peter Siddle claimed two wickets each as did Clint McKay, Jayde Herrick and young allrounder Alex Keath, with McKay taking 2-49 off 20 overs.
Fourteen overs remain in the day’s play.
Victorian captain Cameron White chose to bowl first in overcast conditions on a green-tinged MCG pitch.
McKay removed Marcus Harris (one) caught behind and also dismissed 20-year-old debutant Sam Whiteman (29) caught at first slip.
Acting Warriors skipper Hussey offered a half-chance to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade from the first ball he faced, bowled by Pattinson.
Hussey played a determined knock in tough conditions before he was caught at second slip by his brother David off Herrick’s bowling at 3-122.
A tentative Adam Voges (10) poked a catch to second slip and Mitchell Marsh (two) was caught behind as Siddle struck in consecutive overs. The Warriors lost 3-27 in a middle-order collapse.
Wade, who missed last weekend’s one-day clash with Tasmania because of a sore thumb, took several blows to the injured area and appeared in pain during the post-lunch session.
Tom Triffitt (12) was out in the second over after tea to Pattinson as David Hussey pouched his third catch and Mitchell Johnson (five) was caught behind at 7-190.
Keath removed Michael Beer (22) and Jason Behrendorff (0) in successive overs.
North’s decision to quit the captaincy of the Warriors and the Perth Scorchers came after the Scorchers’ boozy night out during their Champions League Twenty20 campaign in South Africa.
The Perth players celebrated the 21st birthday of Mitchell Marsh in Cape Town and the quality of training sessions for the next two days was affected, the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) said.