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SA chip away at WA total in Shield opener

Adrian WarrenAAP
SA's Travis Head is pushing his claims for a Test recall against WA in the Sheffield Shield.
Camera IconSA's Travis Head is pushing his claims for a Test recall against WA in the Sheffield Shield. Credit: AAP

Josh Philippe and Travis Head have got among the runs as both try to push their claim for an Australian cricket recall.

Philippe, who was omitted from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup after going short of runs on recent tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh, followed up his 137 for Western Australia against South Australia in a one-day game earlier this week, with 77 on day two of the Sheffield Shield game against the same opponent.

WA captain Shaun Marsh, who along with Test incumbent Cameron Green scored a century on Friday, declared at 9-465 half an hour after lunch on Saturday at Karen Rolton Oval.

SA skipper Head, who lost his place in the Australian team after the 2020 Boxing Day Test against India, was 45 not out off 82 balls, as his team finished the day on 2-164, trailing by 301.

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Exciting stroke player Philippe averaged just 13 in 10 T20s and 21 in three ODIs since making his international debut last February.

"It didn't quite go as well as I would have liked, but plenty of learnings and hopefully I can get lots of runs and get back in the (Australian) team," Philippe said.

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Philippe struck ten fours and two sixes in his enterprising 107-ball knock as he and Hilton Cartwright (69) increased their overnight fifth-wicket stand to 109, after WA resumed on 4-324.

Cartwright finished with eight fours and three sixes.

Legspinner Lloyd Pope (4-92 off 15.2 overs) had Philippe, Cartwright, Kelly and Josh Inglis caught, with WA losing 4-29 either side of the lunch break.

"Its the way I like to play spin, I'm quite an attacking player I probably need to wind it back a little bit," Philippe said.

"I tried to take Popey on and got out so I probably didn't need to do that, but I'm just trying to stay true to the way I play."

Head and former WA player Jake Carder (58 off 150) have added 96 so far for the third wicket on a pitch offering little encouragement for the bowlers.

Carder, who was dropped at short cover on 24, notched his third first-class fifty and equalled his highest score.

Head got his innings going with four boundaries across two overs from Test allrounder Green.

"Credit to the boys they batted really well at the end there," Pope said of the third-wicket partnership.

SA steadied after losing Jake Weatherald (3) and Henry Hunt (36), with paceman Joel Paris and Matthew Kelly each taking a wicket.

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