For a team filled with stars, New South Wales failed to shine on the first day of the Pura Cup match against Victoria at the Sydney Cricket Ground. New South Wales plummeted to be all out for a 141 before tea after a dismal performance with the bat. At stumps Victoria are in a strong position of 3 for 110.

Victoria won the toss and put New South Wales into bat under cloudy skies. The clouds became darker as New South Wales lost three early and vital wickets to be 3 for 82 at lunch. Michael Slater went cheaply for two after looking rather scratchy and uncomfortable at the crease. Matthew Phelps followed the very next over to leave the home side reeling at 2 for 16.

Simon Katich believed the toss was a good one to win with weather conditions and the ball moving around quite a bit and the bowlers using those circumstances effectively.

"It was a pretty good toss to win. The ball swung around a bit and did a bit off the wicket and they [Victoria] bowled really well.

"You can not be too critical of the guys, only two of us really got starts and the rest of the guys probably got around ten and under, so it was a tough wicket to bat on.

"It would have been nice if a couple of us could have gone on to get bigger scores," said Katich.

Then a fightback resumed with the two NSW captain's Steve Waugh and Simon Katich leading from the front and taking control of the situation. They pulled together to get the NSW 50 and then a partnership of 50 to seemingly see the home side out of trouble.

But in the over before lunch, trouble brewed when Matthew Inness had Waugh, 45, playing at a ball and Cameron White taking the catch at first slip.

After lunch the rot could not be stopped and from 3 for 82 the home side slumped to be all out for 141 with nine batsmen scoring ten or less. In the second session, NSW lost 7 for 59 including the precious wickets of Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin.

Clarke, the future of NSW and indeed Australian cricket played a marked innings for four. The 21-year-old nicked a ball of Ian Harvey and wicketkeeper Darren Berry did the rest behind the stumps. Harvey's dismissal of Clarke gave the 30-year-old his 300th first class wicket.

The younger of the Waugh twins did not trouble the scorers and did not aid his difficult season. In six innings in the baggy blue, Waugh has made 83 runs with his highest score being 48.

Haddin, the usual pinchhitter for NSW, could only manage five before Shane Harwood trapped the right-hander leg before wicket.

The tail could not do much to help Simon Katich, who was the only batsman to offer much resistance. Katich held it together to make 59 not out after Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill and Doug Bollinger fell within the final five overs.

In reply, Victoria started strongly. The first wicket fell after the opening pair of Matthew Elliott and Jason Arnberger made 63 runs.

Bollinger, playing in his second match for NSW took the two wickets of the openers. He snared Elliott for 33 after he nicked one through to Mark Waugh at first slip. The wicket gave Bollinger his first wicket at first class level and Waugh equalled Bob Simpson's record number of catches for NSW- 102.

Arnberger was the next to go for 28. Bollinger got the opener to nick one through to third slip where Michael Clarke stood waiting to take a good catch at chest height.

Nightwatchman, Mick Lewis departed for two after Brad Haddin caught him off the bowling of Bollinger. Graeme Rummans remained not out for 23 with Brad Hodge on six not out.

© 2002 CricInfo Ltd

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.