After Western Australia’s bowlers gave them a significant advantage, Cameron Bancroft scores fifty.

Tasmania is at 169 (Webster 52, Silk 45, Stobo 3-45) and Western Australia at 92 for 1 (Bancroft 50*, Wylie 10*, Ellis 1-10) and leading by 223 runs.

Western Australia dominated Tasmania on day two of their Sheffield Shield match in Hobart, moving closer to securing their place in the championship game. At the Bellerive Oval on Wednesday, WA consistently got wickets to demolish Tasmania for just 169 in just over two sessions.

The visitors had a 131-run first innings lead, which they increased to 223 by going 1 for 92 at stumps. Cameron Bancroft, who scored the most runs for the Shield, recovered from a rare mistake on day one by recording an unbroken 50. Sam Whiteman, a fellow opener, was the only one to be removed by Nathan Ellis, and Teague Wyllie finished the day on 10 not out.

Bancroft had a great day on the field as well, grabbing five catches at first slip to tie the record set by a non-wicketkeeper competitor.

Six wickets were taken by the team in the lead, Western Australia, with Charlie Stobo’s 3 for 45 leading the bowling statistics.

Joel Paris (2 for 41) and Matthew Kelly (2 for 30) continued to bowl with accuracy, and Tasmania’s top order, which was only 6 for 74, had few strategies to counter their efforts. The host team passed the follow-on thanks to Jordan Silk (45) and Beau Webster (52), but Tasmania’s final four wickets added just 17.

With a victory in Hobart, WA will secure a spot in the final next month with four victories out of seven games.