Goodwin's mammoth knock ensures a draw

PERTH, Dec 11 AAP - Mighty Murray Goodwin's marathon knock of 176 for Western Australia stymied Tasmania's bid for its first outright win of the summer at the WACA Ground today.

The former Zimbabwean Test batsman's 442-minute innings ensured the Pura Cup match ended in a draw on the fourth day.

Goodwin guided the Warriors to an eventual second innings total of 405 after they trailed the visitors by 127 runs on first innings.

Stumps were drawn early after the dismissal of Michael Clark (26) with Paul Wilson unbeaten on ten.

Right-hander Goodwin celebrated his 30th birthday with a composed display the inexperienced home team badly needed with seven players on Australian or Australia A duty.

His place in the WA lineup had been questioned this summer after a below-par 2001/02 season but he demonstrated today that he was still a class act.

He hit 28 fours in his 344-ball effort and brought up his third hundred in 30 four-day interstate matches for WA with a well-timed straight drive for four off Scott Kremerskothen's bowling.

Goodwin scratched around yesterday but, having survived, he flourished today with his highest score for WA and showed why he averaged just under 43 from 19 Tests for the African nation.

Young Tasmanian left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty had the pick of the figures with 4-92 off 30.4 overs.

But the result further reduced second-last Western Australia (6) and cellar dweller Tasmania's (2) already slim hopes of making March's Pura Cup final.

After beginning the day at 4-135, the Warriors started slowly and were in early trouble at 5-175.

Debutant Adam Voges (32) failed to further his ambitions at first-class level and Kade Harvey (17) was run out in a mix-up with Goodwin.

Harvey attempted to take a second run off a misfield but left himself stranded at the same end as Goodwin.

Just after lunch rookie wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi (33) became fast bowler Damien Wright's (2-44) second scalp with WA leading by 100 runs.

However another debutant Beau Casson entered and put his head down taking 46 minutes to record his first run.

He and Goodwin put on a 123-run seventh wicket stand in two and a half hours to kill off the visitors' hopes of adding another four points to the two collected in the first dig.