Western Australia reached 3-101 at tea on day four as they look to hold on for a draw in the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval.

The Warriors trail the hosts by 66 runs at the break, having crept to tea in their second innings with former Test batsman and the competition’s leading run-scorer Marcus North unbeaten on 46 and Mitch Marsh not out on nine.

After bowling out the Redbacks for 601 on Saturday morning, North and fellow opener Cameron Bancroft were eager to score runs quickly and cut the 167-run deficit the Warriors trailed by.

But the emphasis changed to a defensive approach when Bancroft was trapped lbw for 25 on the verge of lunch by Redbacks quick Joe Mennie (1-12) and John Rogers departed shortly after the midday interval.

Rogers struggled to settle and eventually threw his wicket away cheaply when he advanced down the wicket and scooped an unconvincing shot to Chadd Sayers (0-42) at deep mid-off from the bowling of Redbacks skipper Johan Botha (1-11).

WA’s defensive mindset was set in stone when skipper Shaun Marsh was sent packing on 13 after Tom Cooper reacted instantly to take a sensational catch at short mid-wicket from spinner Adam Zampa’s (1-14) bowling.

North, who last wore the baggy green in 2010 at Adelaide Oval in an Ashes contest, survived a dropped catch in the slips on the last ball before tea.

SA paid the price for their gung-ho approach early on day four and lost 5-47 in quick succession as they endeavoured to force a result.

Although wickets tumbled, the Redbacks managed to break a 42-year record for the highest score ever recorded by an SA side against WA, blitzing past the previous mark of 9-575.

Warriors paceman Nathan Rimmington was the chief destroyer with the ball, claiming figures of 3-86 after cleaning up the home side’s tail.