TOPIC:

Where has this sort of performance been all season ???
and so there is one last glimmer of a chance to get into a decider 
hope it's not like the past few seasons where the arse falls right out at the death
maybe this will be that year it finally ends

WA has won two and drawn five of seven games to be the only unbeaten Shield team, though they were lucky to escape with a draw against perennial strugglers SA.
Remarkably, the ladder order is the same in both the Shield and one-day competitions: Qld, NSW, WA, Tas, Vic and SA.
And in each comp, it's 1 v 2, 3 v 4 and 5 v 6 to finish the regular season.
An outright win will guarantee WA a place in the Shield final, but Tassie could even sneak in if they thrash WA and Queensland belts the living suitcases out of NSW.
In the one-day comp, WA needs to defeat Tassie and rely on Queensland beating NSW to seal a spot in the final.
Of course, bonus points could be a factor, giving WA a chance of playing in the final even if NSW wins.
And Tassie isn't out of the one-day picture either.
SA has a slight chance of getting out of the Shield cellar if they thrash the Vics, while the loser of their one-day match will definitely finish last.
 

Good post, AD. Did Inverarity's side go for quite a few seasons without losing outright? This should be the first aim of any decent cricket side.

I think WA had at least one, probably two, unbeaten Shield seasons under John Inverarity, Ark.
We won the Shield five times in the 1970s, though I believe Invers was teaching in England during the 1976-77 triumph.
Once I clear a few work commitments I'll look up my dusty and dog-eared cricket yearbooks. 
 

Cheers, AD, that would be appreciated very much.

I was puzzled by WA's decision to put Tasmania in to bat at the WACA today. Their wins this year have been set up by batting first, putting up a solid first innings score and dictating the game from there. Maybe they thought that they could roll the Tasmanians quickly given the humid weather. Didn't work unfortunately and unless they can take early wickets with the new ball tomorrow and dismiss them for under 300, the Warriors will find themselves chasing the game for the last 3 days.
Meanwhile NSW posted a solid first day score against Queensland but there is a major rain storm due to hit the NSW coast on Monday which could well wash out this day and perhaps the tuesday. There is a spot in the final there for WA's taking. What we will find out in the next 3 days is whether they are good enough to claim it. 

Fingers crossed it buckets down in Wollongong on Monday and Tuesday, Mike.
We seem to be set for good weather for the next three days, so hopefully WA can dismiss Tassie for under 300 and then score at a brisk rate, knowing that a draw will effectively be a loss.
Of course, if WA wins outright and NSW and Queensland play out a draw, the Shield final will be held in Perth.

wrote:

Cheers, AD, that would be appreciated very much.

Ark, I checked out the ESPNcricinfo website and WA went the equivalent of three seasons without losing a match.
WA was unbeaten in the last four games of the 1975-76 season (2 wins, 2 draws), won the 1976-77 Sheffield Shield (6 wins, 2 draws) under Rod Marsh and Ian Brayshaw's captaincy, and won under John Inverarity in 1977-78 (7 wins, 2 draws).
Opposing captains adopted a cautious approach in 1978-79, with WA winning only one and drawing five of their first six games.
Needing to win outright, Inverarity declared twice against Tasmania in Devonport.
Tassie was 6-187 chasing a target of 357, but Roger Woolley (99no) and Jack Simmons (78no) got the home side across the line for their first-ever Shield match win.
So, WA's 27-game unbeaten run (16 wins, 11 draws) was over.

 

WA's chances of making the shield final are ebbing away as Tasmania continue to pile on the runs. There was a small window of opportunity when they dismissed Wade and Paine relatively quickly but they are now dealing with another partnership between Doran and Webster. The Warriors look like they will be chasing 400+ and if so they may have to declare behind in order to open up the game and give Tasmania a chance of victory. A draw is useless to WA.

Tasmania cannot get into the final so they are making sure WA don't - those extra points missed out on against SA who are rock bottom looking like the killer blow 
No choice other than to declare early and hope Wade has some sort of spirit 
and they aren't good hopes to pin one iota upon sadly