Overlooked for Australia's tour of India, one-Test allrounder Hilton Cartwright has displayed his ongoing value, helping guide Western Australia to near-certain Sheffield Shield victory over Tasmania.
At Bellerive Oval on Sunday, the Warriors will look to convert a 154-run lead into much-needed points, lifting them from second last on the ladder.
On Saturday's second day, Cartwright blasted 94 from 145 deliveries in an impressive performance which featured nine boundaries and four sixes, including one from which the ball was lost in nearby scrub.
But it all came unstuck when Tasmanian paceman Sam Rainbird took the new ball and the 24-year-old edged a delivery to second slip.
"I'm pretty pleased, (but) probably more disappointed in the fact I got out in the first over of the new ball," said Cartwright, who made his Test debut in January against Pakistan.
He top-scored on an impressive WA batting card, featuring big contributions from Jonathon Wells (78), Cameron Bancroft (84) and Josh Inglis (55).
By comparison, Tasmania were lacklustre at best.
Fielding fumbles proved costly with Cartwright dropped on 27 and Inglis on 46, as the visitors built a first-innings lead of 212 runs.
After the changeover, the Tigers' top order again failed.
A first-ball run-out disposed of non-striker Jake Hancock and, three overs later, fellow opener Jordan Silk was caught behind leaving the hosts 2-12.
In their first innings, the Tigers were 2-2 in the fourth over.
Tasmania scratched their way to 4-58 at stumps with skipper George Bailey not out 31 and Cameron Stevenson on five.
"If we took two or three, we would have been really happy," Cartwright said of the final-session wicket tally.
"To get four is definitely a very good result for us and it's going to go a long way for us winning the game hopefully (on Sunday).
"You can't really start much better than (a first-ball run-out). It gets the team up and about and gets the vibe up and about - it's awesome."
Tigers vice-captain Alex Doolan, sent back to the sheds with just 11 runs on Saturday afternoon, admitted the side were below par in a number of areas.
"The majority of our wickets have fallen to poor shots," he said.
"It's pretty flat in the change room ... we've got a bit of work to do."
Last-placed Tasmania needed a convincing win to leapfrog Western Australia.
They will rest their hopes on the experience of Bailey and yet-to-bat allrounder James Faulkner, who was out for a duck in the first innings.
