Mixed day for Ashes contenders
While George Bailey made a play for an Ashes spot from a small Oval in India, other contenders used the opening day of the Sheffield Shield season, with mixed success.
Captain Michael Clarke side-stepped his off-field dramas with former captain Ricky Ponting to post a solid 88, South Australia’s Michael Klinger missed a chance when he was caught for just three and David Warner managed 21.
Here’s a wrap of yesterday’s action;
MICHAEL CLARKE: The Australian captain played well for 88 in his return from a back injury, which showed no sign of troubling him, against Tasmania.
DAVID WARNER: Failed to transform his stunning limited overs form into the longer format. Managed 21 before popping a catch back to Ben Hilfenhaus.
CHRIS ROGERS: The Test opener never looked comfortable in working his way to a typically combative 36 for Victoria against WA but enjoyed some valuable time in the middle.
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STEVE SMITH: Looked impressive for NSW in a rapid-fire innings of 42 off 47 balls, before a loose pull shot brought him undone.
BEN HILFENHAUS: Just as likely to get a Test look-in through injury than good form, Hilfenhaus (1-44) started brilliantly by dismissing danger man Warner caught and bowled, but he slowed down after taking a heavy fall running into bowl.
RYAN HARRIS: Queensland’s Test spearhead was impressive against South Australia, taking 1-27 from 15 overs in his first long-form game since tearing a hamstring on Ashes duties two months ago.
ASHTON AGAR: Took some punishment against Victoria early but fought back well to claim 2-93.
CAMERON WHITE: Fresh off being named the player of the series in the one-day domestic competition, he carried that form into the four-day format with a near-faultless 83 against Western Australia at the MCG.
MICHAEL KLINGER: Out for 3 in the Redback’s first innings, he gets another chance in the second innings and again in the Australia “A” team next week.
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On a day when all six States played their opening Shield matches it was South Australian strokeplayer Tom Cooper who starred, crackeing an unbeaten 165 against Queensland at Glenelg Oval.
The Redbacks were 4-294 at stumps, with captain Johan Botha not out 59.
The pair rescued SA with an unbroken 193-run partnership against a Bulls side weakened by injury and illness.
Queensland summoned Papua New Guineans as substitute fielders after captain James Hopes, wicketkeeper Chris Hartley and paceman Ben Cutting were all nobbled.
Hopes was a late withdrawal with a stomach illness and was replaced as captain by Hartley – but he was forced from the field in the middle session with similar stomach complaints.
And Cutting bowled just four overs before injuring a finger, not returning after leaving the field just after lunch.
Having sent only 12 players to Adelaide, the Bulls called on emergency fielders from Papua New Guinea’s team, known as the Barramundis, who are in the SA capital for a training camp.
Cooper made the most of Queensland’s misfortunes, scoring more runs on Wednesday than he did in a dismal last season when he was dumped from SA’s Shield team.
The elegant right-hander smacked 18 fours and six sixes and combined with Botha to steer the Redbacks from a precarious 4-101.
Emerging batsmen Travis Head (33) and Sam Raphael (25) fell when well-set, and debutant Kelvin Smith made just one in a match played at the beachside suburban oval, due to ongoing redevelopments of Adelaide Oval.
Bulls paceman Luke Feldman took two wickets while Test spearhead Ryan Harris was impressive, taking 1-27 from 15 overs in his first long-form game since tearing a hamstring on Ashes duties two months ago.
