WA left needing a Sheffield Shield miracle after Tasmania’s late burst

Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash in Tasmania will go down to the wire on the final day after the Tigers took late wickets to roar back into favouritism.

The visitors reached stumps on 8-215 at Bellerive Oval on Friday, needing 44 more runs for victory.

No.10 Corey Rocchiccioli (eight off 38) hung with Joel Curtis (29) at stumps to keep WA in the fight after the Tigers threatened to roll over WA late on day three.

After conceding a one-run first innings deficit, Tasmania lost their last five wickets for just nine runs to set the visitors 259 to win.

The Ashes hopes of Cameron Bancroft (five) were dealt another blow while fellow opener Sam Whiteman (six) also fell cheaply in the chase.

The hosts were reduced to 4-76 when Hilton Cartwright (14) and Jayden Goodwin (48) fell in quick succession.

But Sam Fanning (31) and Aaron Hardie (61) swung the balance in WA’s favour, the visitors appearing on track for victory until Hardie fell for the trap and was caught by captain Jordan Silk at a second short midwicket.

Riley Meredith then blasted through Matthew Kelly’s (0) defences and Gabe Bel bowled Cameron Gannon to leave WA needing 58 runs with just three wickets in hand.

Whiteman admitted his side would need some luck to snatch victory on day four but was not giving up, crediting the bowlers for giving them a chance.

“We’ll need a few things to go our way, but you’ve got to believe, we would have loved to have been six or seven down, but Rocchiccioli has played some handy innings for us in the past so there’s hope,” he said.

“It’s frustrating to get so close, but we’re still in it. I think the way we started with the ball this morning was super impressive and that’s given us a chance.

“It’s been a pretty good wicket, there’s a lot of grass on it, it’s certainly a challenge with a new ball, but batters have shown once you get in, there are runs to be scored.”

Bell (3-60) continued Test aspirant Bancroft’s lean run to begin the shieldseason when he was caught behind while Jackson Bird (1-42) bowled without luck.