Western Australia 200 for 5 (Fanning 99, Goodwin 29, Curtis 26*, Boland 2-27) trail Victoria 431 for 9 dec (Harper 119, Sutherland 101*, Brody Couch 3-91, Corey Rocchiccioli 3-108) by 231 runs
Fanning, whose previous highest score was 95, had defied Victoria until his bid for a maiden first-class century ended in heartbreaking fashion when he edged Fergus O’Neill to Sam Harper, who hung on after an initial bobble in a terrific catch up at the stumps.
It came moments after Teague Wyllie – another emerging batter hoping to go up a level for a transitioning WA batting-order – drove loosely on 20 and was caught at first slip.
Joel Curtis and debutant Kade Povey survived the last 30 minutes of the day’s play but WA will be disappointed after a solid platform was laid by Fanning.
Having managed to see out a couple of testing overs before lunch, Fanning on 12 had some good fortune straight after the resumption when he edged Boland to second slip only for Sutherland to drop a straightforward chance.
Having not played since his starring role in the Ashes, Boland started from where he left off and was rewarded with the early wicket of opener Cameron Bancroft, who nicked a length delivery that spat off the surface.
Boland sported the figures of 1 for 9 off seven overs after his initial burst but Fanning held firm and blossomed alongside Jayden Goodwin, who was recalled after veteran batter Hilton Cartwright was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
With WA’s season effectively over, the batting-order has been shaken up with Fanning, 25, moving up to the top of the order while skipper and long-time opener Sam Whiteman shuffled down to No.4.
Fanning unfurled his trademark aggression when width was on offer, but he paced his innings well – having at times been criticised for being stuck in one gear – and reached his half-century in style with a lovely cut to the boundary.
With the seamers blunted, offspinner Todd Murphy was handed the ball with much interest in how he would fare on a ground where he has struggled previously.
Unlike his taller counterpart Corey Rocchiccioli, who relishes the extra bounce of the WACA surface, Murphy had struggled with his length control and taken just 3 for 328 with an economy of 4.2 from three previous games at the ground.
But he found good rhythm from the get go and bowled accurately to tie down the batters although there was minimal turn on offer. He finished with 0 for 48 from 16 overs.
Batting looked arguably the easiest it has all season at the bowler-friendly ground with Fanning and Goodwin combining for a 79-run partnership. Showing little signs of fatigue after registering a second first-class ton, Sutherland claimed the wicket of Goodwin who was anchored to the crease and trapped plumb lbw for 29.
Boland returned and went through the defences of Whiteman with a cracking delivery from around the wicket. He finished with 2 for 27 from 13 overs and top-placed Victoria remain firmly in the box seat as they eye hosting rights for the final.
Victoria’s big first innings was bookended by centuries from Harper and Sutherland. After Harper’s blistering 119 off 109 balls dominated the early part of the match, Sutherland’s masterful shepherding of the tail stole the show in the first session of day two.
He had entered the match with a first-class average of just 18 and with only one century and two half-centuries from 83 innings, mediocre stats for a player of genuine batting repute.
But Sutherland put it all together with his unbeaten 101 off 139 balls breaking the spirit of WA, who at the start of the day had hoped to dismiss Victoria for a total of around 350.
Their plans were dented when Sutherland lifted Victoria significantly from their overnight score of 338 for 7. He took the long handle to Rocchiccioli marked by a huge blow that smacked into the gigantic sightscreen at the ground’s redeveloped end.
Sutherland also muscled a blow over the deep midwicket boundary to continue the frustration of quick Jhye Richardson, who finished with 1 for 91 off 25 overs having suffered at the hands of Harper at the start of the innings.
Sutherland fittingly reached his hundred with a beautiful cover drive and celebrated by running off the field having declared the innings just before lunch.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth