Western Australia has made a strong start to its Pura Cup match against New South Wales here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. The visitors had reached a first innings score of 2/147 by stumps in answer to the Blues' modest tally of 215.

It was a milestone 50th first-class clash between the two states and, from the outset, it was the Warriors who looked the most determined to create a satisfactory new slice of history for themselves. The Blues have won 27 of those past 49 battles but their opponents, conscious of the chance to nudge their way into second place on the Pura Cup table by the end of this one, established a good early position in a bid to let the record books write this victory down to them.

After their bowlers counteracted the effect of a loss at the toss, the Western Australians received a great start to their innings with openers Scott Meuleman (60) and Mike Hussey (55*) unfurling a calm, unhurried and, importantly, productive partnership at the top of the order.

In the course of a 127-run liaison, Meuleman backed up last week's century against South Africa with a polished half-century - a milestone symbolically reached with a clattering off drive off opposing youngster Aaron O'Brien (0/42).

And left handed Hussey was also in control, relying on a positive mindset and attractive footwork to carve a half-century of his own.

Meuleman was eventually beaten by paceman Stuart Clark (2/31) and outside edged a catch to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, and the position was further weakened when nightwatchman Kade Harvey (5) edged a catch to Mark Higgs, standing at second slip to the same bowler.

But Hussey and Simon Katich (11*) encountered no further alarms and duly consolidated an excellent day's cricket from their team.

New South Wales, for its part, was on the back foot by as early as the first over of the day - when Greg Mail (0) was removed by Brad Williams (3/71) for a duck. The Blues' cause was partially resurrected by aggressive contributions from Haddin (50), Michael Clarke (43) and Michael Slater (40) but the balance was never fully restored and the innings was wrapped up before even two full sessions had been completed.

Despite surviving a huge early appeal for a catch, as a Williams delivery ended in the hands of Hussey at slip, Slater's innings provided particular encouragement for the home team.

As he added 66 in a partnership for the second wicket with stand-in captain Michael Bevan (26), it even looked like he was in the midst of producing a hand that would restore his very best form. As his team adjusted to the loss of regular captain Shane Lee to a knee injury, he found the boundary on five occasions - and even cleared it once - with a succession of crisp, clean strokes. But that was all before he drove a Matthew Nicholson (1/31) delivery on the up to Brad Hogg at cover.

Career-best first-class figures for Harvey (4/43), and similarly excellent contributions from fellow pacemen Williams and Jo Angel (2/68), lay at the core of the Blues' troubles. Williams and Angel combined to remove the bulk of the top half of the order, while Harvey swiftly put his previous best analysis of 3/30 into the shade by snaring the wickets of Clark (15), Don Nash (15) and Nathan Bracken (2) at the end.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd