TRENT Copeland showed guts to bowl with an injured arm, but the efforts of the Bathurst seamer were in vain on Saturday as he and his New South Wales team-mates fell to Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield match.
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Playing at the WACA, Copeland was batting in the Blues’ second innings when a Jhye Richardson delivery struck him on the arm. At the time he was one off six deliveries.
Copeland’s injured arm required treatment, but with his side all out for 179, the Blues were under pressure from the hosts and he made the decision to bowl.
Earlier in the match Western Australia had hit 215 in response to the Blues’ first innings total of 204.
It meant when the Warriors padded up for their second innings, they required 169 for victory.
Copeland took three catches and claimed 1-44 off his 9.3 overs with the Duke ball, but it was not enough as the Warriors reached the required total with four wickets in hand.
NSW off-spinner Nathan Lyon was full of admiration for Copeland to still bowl and felt the Blues were just 30 runs short to defend.
“He is pretty handy with the bat too, but it was an unbelievable effort for him to come out and bowl with a pretty sore arm. It doesn't look too good in the change rooms,” Lyon said.
“The way I look at it, we're 30 runs short so if we got 200 there I'm backing us to win the game.
“Hats off to them, we got outplayed.”
