Western Australia still scents an outright, but New South Wales has improved its chances of escaping with a draw, after a fierce battle between the sides on the third day of their Pura Cup match here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

After the Warriors established a massive 363-run advantage on the first innings, the Blues opted primarily to occupy the crease during the day's final two sessions. They closed at a second innings scoreline of 3/188, reducing the overall deficit to 175 in the process with six hours left to play in the match.

Attacking cricket was put firmly on the shelf by the Blues as captain Michael Bevan (78*) and opener Greg Mail (59) combined to add an even 100 runs in a vigilant stand for the second wicket. After Michael Slater (24) was dismissed from the first delivery he faced after lunch, Bevan and Mail batted together for the best part of the remaining two sessions to frustrate the Warriors and heighten the chances that the Blues might be able to scramble away from this game with a draw.

Western Australia's first innings was finally wrapped up at a mammoth 578 during the morning session, leaving the Blues with the task of extending their salvage mission over a total of five and a half sessions.

Mail and Slater used up the remainder of the pre-lunch period to compose an opening partnership of 32, though the latter's innings wasn't necessarily a vintage one. Slater characteristically attempted to dominate the attack but one uncontrolled shot sent the ball flying over the slips and another had the ball clearing Brad Williams by a matter of inches at fine leg.

His mixture of an innings ended swiftly after lunch when he edged a delivery of high pace from Williams (1/56). The ball flew quickly to wicketkeeper, Ryan Campbell, who wrapped a glove around it but fumbled the catch and had to watch as second slip fieldsman, Marcus North, came across to his left to tidy up the dismissal.

Enter Bevan and a go-slow show with Mail that utilised as many as 304 deliveries.

Mail's own half century came from 173 balls, while Bevan was similarly defiant in accumulating his milestone from 148.

Ultimately, it took the shock of a bowling change, and a wonderful catch from Scott Meuleman, to separate them. Right arm off spinner North (1/24) was the partnership breaker, luring Mail to drive a flighted ball hard and low to Meuleman in a position just forward of short leg.

It was just the fifth ball North had wheeled down and only the fourth over of spin in the innings as a whole.

With a change in partner came something of a change in heart from a suddenly flamboyant Bevan. The left hander promptly struck two majestic boundaries to reach fifty then transformed his scoring curve even further by serially cutting Williams to raise another four boundaries in a single over.

A half-century stand with Michael Clarke (17) consequently came in a positively dizzy 64 minutes, though the attacking bent reached a prompt halt again when Brad Hogg (1/15) terminated the youngster's innings with a leg side lbw decision that replays suggested was a touch dubious.

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