The WA Under 19 team has made it three from three at the National Under 19 Championships in Canberra after a rain-affected defeat of South Australia in their first 50-over match of the competition.
WA recovered from the loss of both openers – the in-form Anthony Del Borrello and skipper Tom Beaton – with just five runs on the board to post a highly competitive 261.
In reply, South Australia was 5-136 in the 34th over when rain forced the players from the field. The match was eventually abandoned, with WA declared the winners by 33 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Scarborough batsman Marcus Harris (31) and Bayswater-Morley's Aaron Todd (27) got the WA innings back on track after the loss of Del Borrello and Beaton with a half-century stand for the third wicket.
Rockingham-Mandurah wicket-keeper and Australian Under 19 representative Sam Whiteman then combined with Scarborough all-rounder Darryl Mitchell for a free-flowing 118-run sixth wicket stand which thrust WA into a position of strength.
Whiteman top-scored with 79 from 91 deliveries, while Mitchell struck 53 from just 48 balls.
A late collapse saw WA lose 5-26 before they were eventually dismissed from the final delivery of their innings.
The SA run chase got off to a disastrous start when opener James Hilditch was run out by Andrew Cameron without facing a ball.
Brad Davis came to the wicket at first drop and immediately set about anchoring the innings, while Ben Dougall was watchful in his 27.
Wickets fell at regular intervals, not only ensuring that the run rate required for victory was steadily increasing, so too was the Duckworth/Lewis par score.
Davis was unbeaten on 64 when play was halted. Fremantle's Chris Chellew was WA's only multiple wicket-taker (2-37), while Cameron (1-24) and Perth's Jason Hill (1-24) were the other successful bowlers.
WA play their fourth straight match at Stirling Oval today when they will attempt to keep their unbeaten streak going in a one-day match against the Northern Territory.
