Promising allrounder Cameron Green and Test tweaker Nathan Lyon threw their weight around but the prospect of a Sheffield Shield result between NSW and Western Australia remains slender at best.
WA finished day three at 7-436 at Adelaide's Gladys Elphick Oval, just seven runs behind the Blues' first innings total.
Green, who is viewed as future Andew Flintoff-style allrounder for Australia, clubbed an unbeaten 185 on Wednesday - his highest first-class score.
While it was against an attack not featuring Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, it was nonetheless an impressive feat in just his 17th first-class outing.
Now with four centuries and an average expected to tip 50 by the conclusion of this match, the strapping right-hander will be added to the burgeoning list of allrounders performing at state level.
With outstanding first-class bowling figures of 28 wickets at 21.53, the 21-year-old's biggest issue may be his dodgy back, which has prevented him bowling this season and for much of 2019-20.
Green and Sam Whiteman (114) ensured WA were closing in on the NSW total with the game now likely to end in a draw.
Test tweaker Lyon, in his first match in seven months, ramped up his workload and finished with the figures of 2-112 from 40 overs.
Lyon said he was happy with the way the ball was coming out, if not the end results on a flat deck.
"A long day is one way to sum it up," Lyon said.
"I take my hat off to Cameron Green - very, very impressive. Very clear in his plans and plays slow bowling really well.
"It's really good to see - he is 21 and not flustered by anything."
Sean Abbott (3-77) eventually picked up Whiteman when he miscued a hook to Daniel Hughes at backward square leg and when Ashton Turner (6) departed shortly thereafter WA were 4-272.
But Green ensured there was to be no flurry of wickets and batted out the day.
Australian Associated Press
