Ferguson joins Hughes in runfest
Phil Hughes has celebrated his national squad recall with an unbeaten double century for Australia A against South Africa A.
The prolific lefthander was unbeaten on his highest first-class score of 243 as the rain-hit four-day clash at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville finished in a draw on Sunday.
Hughes’ captain’s knock showed both his form and readiness after he was called up to replace the injured Shane Watson for Australia’s tour to Zimbabwe departing on Wednesday.
His knock came less than a month after he belted a record-breaking 151-ball double ton in a one-day match against the South Africans in Darwin.
It was also the second time he reached a hundred in the four-day format on the tour, following his final day 100 not out against India A at Allan Border Field in mid-July.
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On Sunday, the 25-year-old Hughes resumed on 71 not out, brought up his double-century off 387 balls and went past his previous best first-class score of 204 shortly after the tea break.
He received good support from Callum Ferguson, who made 82 before being run out.
“He’s a bit unorthodox at times old Hughesy,” Ferguson told reporters after the match.
“He does play some shots that hit the ball to strange areas and I think that’s quite off-putting to the opposition.
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“Some of the enjoyment you take out of it is when you watch the bemused bowler walk back past you with a really strange look on his face not really knowing what’s happened,” he said.
“I’ve been fortunate to bat with him a lot at South Australia as well over the last few years and the left-hand, right-hand combination works quite well.
“He’s a guy that does score freely once he gets going and puts pressure on the opposition. It’s nice to be at the other end when a guy is doing that.”
Ferguson was happy with his own form.
“It was nice to get an extended stay,” Ferguson said.
“I felt like I’d been batting quite well over the last month and made a lot of 30s to 40s.
“To go on and get close to a hundred, unfortunately there was a run out but that happens in cricket, I feel like I’m batting OK.”
With day two of the match lost entirely to rain, there was little hope a result and the match ended with Australia on 3-454 in reply to South Africa A’s 333 in their first innings.
