Teenager Teague Wyllie has become the youngest player since Ricky Ponting to post a Sheffield Shield century, with his heroics putting Western Australia in the box seat against NSW at the WACA Ground.
The Warriors were bowled out for 258 in the final act of the second day in Perth, giving them a lead of 78 after NSW were rolled for 180 on day one.
Wyllie was the story of the day, cracking 15 boundaries on the way to posting 104 off 204 balls.
The right-hander was playing just his third first-class match on Tuesday and showed maturity beyond his years to guide WA out of early trouble.
At 18 years and 163 days, Wyllie was the youngest player to reach triple figures in Shield cricket since Ponting, who was 18 years and 40 days when he notched his maiden ton in the competition.
Last summer, Teague became the second youngest player to win a Shield final, behind only Test captain Pat Cummins.
And it appears WA have found another ace in debutant Sam Fanning.
The 21-year-old scored 32 off 161 balls at a painstaking strike rate of 19.88 to help quell the NSW attack on a bowler-friendly wicket.
Tail-ender Matt Kelly then posted an unbeaten 47 off 86 balls to ram home WA's advantage.
NSW debutant Ben Dwarshuis (4-48 off 20 overs) was the pick of the bowlers, with his early onslaught leaving WA in trouble at 3-39.
WA were still in strife at 6-100 before Wyllie, Joel Paris (25) and Kelly buckled down.
The Warriors started the day at 2-18 and Hilton Cartwright (16 off 56 balls) was the first to fall on Tuesday after being given out LBW to Jack Edwards (2-44).
Although the ball struck Cartwright on the back leg it looked as though it was going to sail over the stumps.
But WA received a couple of lucky breaks just before lunch.
Wyllie survived a confident LBW shout from paceman Liam Hatcher.
And next over Fanning was lucky to be given not out after being struck on the pads by spinner Nathan Lyon (1-42 off 17 overs).
Fanning's strike rate of 19.55 at the lunch break didn't make for pretty reading.
But his grit on a tricky wicket proved crucial in steadying the ship.
Wyllie's determination also proved vital, especially once Fanning departed.
Dwarshuis left WA reeling with two quick wickets late on Monday, and he returned to take the key scalps of Josh Philippe and Aaron Hardie shortly before tea on Tuesday.
But Wyllie refused to give in and he gained in confidence the longer his innings went.
He departed late in the day when he edged Chris Tremain (2-25) to slip.
By then, WA already had a handy first-innings lead that could prove crucial in the final result.
