Western Australia staged a remarkable comeback to defy the odds and win the Sheffield Shield cricket competition in the 1967-68 season.
The side, led by Tony Lock, appeared to be in a hopeless position after it was soundly beaten by South Australia in Adelaide in the first of four away matches in February 1968.
But then WA rebounded to score brilliant victories over Queensland in Brisbane, New South Wales in Sydney and Victoria in Melbourne in successive weeks to snatch the prestigious trophy from the titleholders Victoria.
What made this outstanding performance all the more meritorious was the fact that WA lost the toss in all three matches and had to overcome the disadvantage of being sent in to bat in each match.
WA recovered from a dismal 3-8 to score 353 against NSW at the SCG, thanks to centuries from vice-captain John Inverarity and Jock Irvine, before Graham McKenzie and Laurie Mayne routed the home side for 121. NSW, forced to follow-on, were bundled out for 131, giving WA victory by an innings and 101 runs.
A week later at the Gabba, WA stumbled to 6-71 before Ross Edwards (57) and Ian Brayshaw (43) helped the side to reach 195. Mayne and Lock were the destroyers when Queensland replied with 175, after losing their final six wickets for 13 runs.
Lock declared WA’s second innings at 9-269 and then he took five wickets as Queensland collapsed for 145, leaving WA victorious by 144 runs.
After Victorian captain Bill Lawry won the toss and sent WA in to bat, the visitors scored 405, with a defiant Inverarity compiling 173 in 407 minutes and Ron Bowe 86.
Mayne (five wickets) and Lock (four) combined to dismiss Victoria for 196. Forced to follow-on, Victoria managed 227, with Lawry the mainstay with 103 and McKenzie and Lock the wreckers. WA then scored 20 without loss to romp to a ten-wicket victory which gave the State its first Shield win when competing on a full-time basis.