Rampant Bulls dismiss Warriors cheaply

Queensland has taken the honours on the first day of the Pura Cup match against Western Australia in Perth.

The Bulls dismissed the hosts for a modest 208 in their first innings. Warriors’ opener Chris Rogers top scored for the home side with 55, while Mitchell Johnson took 4-56 off 22 overs.

In reply, Queensland at the close of play was 1-66 with Matthew Hayden unbeaten on 30 and Martin Love not out nine. Steve Magoffin has the only wicket to fall so far, that of Bulls captain Jimmy Maher lbw for 22.

Earlier, Maher won the toss and sent the Warriors into bat first on a glorious day for Cricket. A bumper crowd of more than 4,000 turned up and all were eager to watch a mixture of former, current and potential Test stars in action.

Former Test paceman Andy Bichel claimed the first scalp of the day in just his second over with Warriors captain Justin Langer caught in gully by Hayden.

ODI player of the year, Mike Hussey got off the mark with a cover drive, while the inform Chris Rogers hit the first boundary with an edge through slips.

Rogers smashed eight fours in the first hour and raced past his half-century in 74 minutes off 58 balls not long into the second hour. He was instrumental in the Warriors, and the second-wicket partnership, reaching fifty.

Hussey was relatively quiet early but ripped into the bowling of Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson with two back foot drives through extra cover and backward point.

Rogers fell in the shadows of lunch, falling in Andrew Symonds’ second over after sharing a second wicket partnership of 87 with Mike Hussey. Damien Martyn pushed the Warriors over 100 on the last ball before the main interval.

Hussey made a promising start after lunch with two fours’ off Bichel’s bowling, however, Johnson claimed his first scalp in the next over when Hussey guided the ball straight to Hayden at gully.

Marcus North’s was brief compared to previous innings so far this season, he lasted just 27 minutes but drove Symonds’ bowling to the fence twice in four balls. Symonds exacted revenge in his next over with North (15) caught behind.

Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist consolidated with a painstaking eight-run partnership off 10 overs. It lasted 42 minutes before Gilchrist attempted to cut but only managed to find Chris Hartley behind the stumps.

Hogg wasted little time in getting off the mark, cutting Watson’s bowling through point. Martyn fell to Johnson’s slower ball when he spooned a return catch back to the bowler.

Daniel Doran came on in the final over before tea with his first ball dispatched over the mid-wicket fence by Hogg, however the young spinner hit back next ball when Hogg attempted a similar shot. At the tea interval, the Warriors were 7-171.

Symonds finished with 3-18 as the Warriors fell in a big hole after lunch, losing 5-70 after being in a solid position at the first break. Shane Watson pressed for a Test recall with economical bowling that included six straight maidens.

Three overs into the last session, Johnson had a third scalp when Brett Dorey edged to Chris Hartley behind the stumps. The keeper grabbed that offering and finished the innings with five catches.

Johnson cleaned up the Warriors tail when he added Steve Magoffin to an impressive four-wicket tally.

Day two resumes tomorrow morning at 10:30am local time.

Western Australia - First Innings
J LANGER c Hayden b Bichel 7
C ROGERS c Hartley b Symonds 55
M HUSSEY c Hayden b Johnson 46
D MARTYN c & b Johnson 24
M NORTH c Hartley b Symonds 15
A GILCHRIST c Hartley b Symonds 6
B HOGG c Hopes b Doran 16
S GILLIES c Hartley b Hopes 21
B DOREY c Hartley b Johnson 2
S MAGOFFIN c Hayden b Johnson 11
B EDMONDSON not out 0

Extras (4lb, 1nb) 5
Total: All out for 208

Fall: 1-10, 2-97, 3-114, 4-143, 5-151, 6-165, 7-171, 8-176, 9-204, 10-208.

Bowling: A Bichel 11-1-54-1, M Johnson 22-5-56-4 (1nb), J Hopes 10.5-2-29-1, S Watson 13-8-24-0, A Symonds 10-4-18-3, D Doran 4-0-23-1

Batting time: 282 mins. Overs: 70.5

Queensland - First Innings
J MAHER lbw b Magoffin 22
M HAYDEN not out 30
M LOVE not out 9

Extras (5nb) 5
Total: 1 wkt for 66

Fall: 1-42

Bowling: B Edmondson 3-0-20-0 (4nb), S Magoffin 7-1-19-1 (1nb), B Dorey 8-3-21-0, S Gillies 2-1-1-0, B Hogg 1-0-5-0.

Batting time: 98 mins. Overs: 21

Toss: Western Australia
Umpires: B Parry, J Brookes.
Venue: WACA Ground, Perth
Attendance: 4,000.
Summary: Day One.

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