Another Katich ton helps NSW out of danger

Simon Katich kissed his bat at the SCG today.

No wonder - it's been good to him lately.

Katich rescued NSW from potential disaster on day two of the Pura Cup match against Western Australia with a polished 101 not out, continuing his rollicking start to the season which has been everything he could have hoped for and more.

He's made a hugely successful Test recall and two important tons for the Blues.

His average this season is 159.5.

Bullet proof?

"I wouldn't say bullet proof, no," said Katich.

"I never feel that confident.

"I feel confident within my own game, but I certainly don't think I'm just going to go out there and make runs because it's a tough game and you never know what's around the corner."

Beau Casson's left-arm wrist spin threatened to skittle the Blues when he stopped a resurgent Michael Slater (45) in his tracks and took the prized wickets of Test captain Steve Waugh for a duck and Mark Waugh for ten as the Blues lost 3-3 in a hurry before tea.

But Katich, whose last Pura Cup century was for WA against NSW on the same ground two summers ago, guided his adopted side to the relative safety of 5-273 at stumps, a deficit of 103 runs on the first innings.

Earlier, WA made 376 thanks to Murray Goodwin's unbeaten 201.

Katich, chosen unexpectedly last month in the Australian side, when he made 52 and took 6-65 in the second innings of the SCG Test against Zimbabwe - and then cracked 136 in the ING Cup at Bowral - conjured up a four-hour gem today, playing cautiously while wickets tumbled but driving and pulling magnificently later on.

He gave the blade of his bat a peck upon reaching three figures.

"When you're playing well you've got to try to make the most of it," said Katich, frustrated last season to not make any centuries in his first season with the Blues.

"Getting the one at Bowral was probably a bigger one - once you get one off your back it's nice, no matter what form of the game it is."

Replying to WA's solid but unspectacular first innings, the Blues were travelling nicely at 1-90 before Slater glided a wrong 'un from Casson to Langer at first slip - an unexpected departure with the former Test opener spanking them before erring.

Having a terrible start to the season, Langer - who replaced Slater atop the Test order two years ago - would have been glad to see the back of the 33-year-old before he could forge a big enough score to make whispers about a possible future Test recall any louder.

Casson lived every young bowler's dream by trapping Steve Waugh LBW, then for good measure he got one to turn sharply between Mark Waugh's bat and pad and knock back the 99-game veteran's off stump.

Marcus North chipped in with the wicket of Phil Jaques, stumped by Ryan Campbell for a duck, as WA threatened to make light work of the strongest non-Test batting lineup in world cricket.

But Katich and wicketkeeper Nathan Pilon combined in an unbroken 146-run partnership to give the Blues every chance of claiming first innings points tomorrow.

Pilon's 70 was a major breakthrough. The Blues' reserve wicketkeeper has been prolific with the bat in Sydney grade cricket, but before today his Pura Cup contributions had amounted to very little - 37 runs at an average of 7.4, with a top score of 16.