Ed Cowan is fighting hard to give NSW a good total to defend on day three of the Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in Perth.
The Blues are 6-158 at lunch on Saturday in their second innings to hold a 147-run overall lead.
That leaves the game delicately poised with NSW likely having just three wickets in hand after Trent Copeland retired hurt following a nasty blow to his elbow off the bowling of Jhye Richardson.
The key for the Blues is 18-Test left-hander Cowan, who is unbeaten on 49 and needs to score the bulk of the runs in the afternoon session.
Charlie Stobo is with him on five not out with only Nathan Lyon and debutant Mickey Edwards to come.
NSW started the third day at 3-77 with a lead of 66, but Kurtis Patterson didn’t last long falling for 16 when caught at first slip by Ashton Turner off Matt Kelly.
Peter Nevill failed again making just four before Kelly had him caught behind by Josh Inglis.
Copeland lasted just two balls but Gurinder Sandhu stuck it out for 47 balls making 14 to support Cowan before falling to Simon Mackin.
Cowan has looked at ease at the crease and against the swinging Dukes ball. He is one run from a 47th first-class half-century and just 16 short of 10,000 career runs.
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