Nunn scored 103 runs - and was well supported by Dan Constable on 62 - as the Lions compiled 4/290 on day one of their Cricket Illawarra two-day contest.

Troy Gasseling (58 not out) and Luke Hunter (41no) remained unbeaten at the end of the opening day.

Wests captain Zach Churchill praised Nunn for his innings, but said it could easily have been a very different story on Saturday.

"There were a couple of big decisions when he was on a duck," Churchill said.

"There were two lbw shouts basically in a row to our opening bowler Jake O'Connell. He trapped him in front twice and the umpire didn't give them out.

"It obviously sucks that he ended up getting a hundred, but he took his chance and batted really well. So full credit to him."

Churchill won the toss and elected to bowl first because, in his own words, "the wicket looked a bit weird".

"We didn't really know what to do. And Keira was in the same position - I talked to a few of their blokes and they didn't really know what to do either," he said.

"So we sent them in and the wicket ended up playing pretty well. There weren't a lot of demons in there at all. Don't get me wrong, Dan [Constable] and Nunn batted really well. We were obviously bowling tight which led to them being patient and they didn't get themselves out. The wicket was good so there wasn't a lot happening which meant we had to be patient with the ball and just force them into a mistake. But they didn't make mistakes.

"But that game could have really blown out there and then. At tea, I think they were one wicket down so it really could have been a 350 plus situation. We ended up bowling really well at the death in those last 20 overs, so I give our guys full credit. I thought we stuck to our plans quite well which has been a problem for most of the year with the ball."

While the Lions are in a solid position, Churchill believes his side can push on and provide a challenge when play resumes next Saturday.

"Now it's time for us to have a crack with the bat and see how we go," he said.

"I think they've shown us exactly how we need to play and we just need to try and emulate that - they were just really patient.

"I've said to our guys, if we can have as many wickets in hand as possible by the 50^th over, then we're going to be in a really good position to win most games. Because in those last 30 overs, pitches just flatten out and it's so much easier to bat on them."

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