Waugh saves day, lauds Clarke

SYDNEY, March 7 AAP - Steve Waugh, cricket's patron saint of hopeless causes, today answered the prayers of the New South Wales' faithful, scorned the "doomsday prophets" and heralded the new messiah in the form of Michael Clarke.

With NSW needing an outright win in the Pura Cup match against Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground to secure its first state final in almost a decade, Waugh and Clarke scored emphatic centuries to put the home side well in control.

At stumps on day two, the Blues were 3-343 with Waugh not out on 107 and Clarke unbeaten on 106 after raising his ton from 87 balls in an even 100 minutes.

With a lead of 255, seven wickets in hand and two days to play, NSW is primed for a win which looked implausible 24 hours earlier when it trailed on the first innings by 88 runs after being bowled out for 102 before dismissing Queensland for 190 in return.

With Victoria grinding its way to first innings points against Western Australia to take the edge in the race for the final against the Bulls, the Blues know an outright win will be needed if they are to play their first final since winning the old Sheffield Shield in 1993-94.

Things looked grim for that prospect when Michael Slater (4) went in the second over and when Waugh came in at 2-96, the score was effectively 2-8.

"There was pressure on, we had to get something happening," Waugh said.

Waugh responded by hitting his first two balls to the boundary and his early strokes had an aura of irritation about them - as if he was swatting away a horde of annoying flies.

But he soon settled down to play a typically grafting innings, making his century in three hours off 158 balls with 17 balls.

"I've been hitting the ball well - all those doomsday prophets weren't right were they, I'm still playing OK," Waugh said, referring to those who were calling for his Test career to end earlier this summer.

While he was playing "OK", Waugh said Clarke was something else all together. "It was a great innings, outstanding, the people who were here today will remember that for a long time.

"Someone in the crowd said `he's the new Doug Walters' and he's probably not far away from that."

While Waugh's 73rd first-class ton was desperately needed by his floundering team it was set in the shade by Clarke's afternoon assault on the tiring and injury-depleted Bulls attack.

Clarke's half-century came off 56 balls, with six fours and a six and his second 50 took only 31 balls, many of his late boundaries coming after Michael Kasprowicz and Ashley Noffke had taken the new ball.

Clarke, with fabulous aggression, deft footwork and a flashing blade pounded every bowler and at one stage earned a backhanded compliment from Kasprowicz, who mimicked a defensive shot - non-existent in Clarke's repertoire today - after yet another good ball had been smote to the boundary.

Clarke said he'd been nervous when he came out to bat, mainly because he'd made ducks in his previous two innings.

"All I wanted to do was get off the mark," he said.

Clarke said Waugh gave him the green light to attack once NSW was in a strong position.

"I asked Steve Waugh what he wanted me to do and he said "you're hitting them well, keep going".

"I felt comfortable so I just went for my shots."

The twin centuries from the master and the apprentice give the Blues a strong chance for a win, with the dual wrist spin of first innings destroyers Stuart MacGill and Simon Katich likely to be dangerous when Queensland bats again.

"We were always pretty optimistic we'd be in a good position at the end of the day," Waugh said.

"We batted terribly on the first day - they bowled well but that was as bad as we could possibly bat and we know that Queensland is going to bat last on a wicket that's going to suit us."