A horrendous wicketkeeping blunder cost Victorian paceman Peter Siddle a hat-trick and helped Western Australia snatch first-innings points on the second day of the crucial Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground.
After the Bushrangers made 277, keeper Ryan Carters’s dropped catch on Siddle’s hat-trick ball helped WA scramble back from 5-124 to secure the vital points.
Although Siddle claimed 5-64, WA were dismissed for 301 to bank an overall lead of 24 runs.
At stumps, Victoria were 0-12 in their second innings, with Chris Rogers unbeaten on seven and Rob Quiney five not out.
The Warriors can close in on a home final by claiming outright points in the match, while Victoria need to win to stay in the hunt for the final.
It could have been a vastly different story on the second day if Carters had snared a simple chance from the first ball Travis Birt faced with the left-hander going on to make a valuable 54.
Siddle, who also made an unbeaten 42 with the bat, bowled his team back into the match by claiming the first three wickets to fall in the WA innings.
With WA on 78, Siddle removed opener Liam Davis (37) and captain Adam Voges (0) with successive balls.
His hat-trick ball to new batsman Birt produced a regulation edge through to Carters, who inexplicably grassed the sitter just as Siddle started to celebrate.
WA’s task still looked tough when they slumped to 5-124, but with Birt making the most of his early fortune, New Zealand-bound Luke Ronchi compiling a polished run-a-ball 64 and Nathan Rimmington chipping in with 36, they reached the target with three wickets in hand.
WA claimed first-innings points when tailender Nathan Coulter-Nile lofted spinner Jon Holland down the ground for six.
Shaun Marsh’s horror season continued when he made just 21.