NSW to set SA final day target
NSW century-maker Scott Henry will lead a push for quick runs before setting South Australia a final-day run chase in their Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.
The Blues will resume on today’s final day at 4-319, some 256 runs ahead of the Redbacks.
Henry is unbeaten on 107 and opener Nick Larkin made 130 – both notching their maiden first-class centuries.
Larkin, playing just his second first-class game, says the Blues will definitely set the Redbacks a last-day target on a wearing Adelaide Oval pitch.
Larkin’s breakthrough century for NSW on Monday not only gave the Blues a winning chance – it could secure him a spot for Ireland in the looming World Cup.
Larkin was born in Taree on NSW’s mid-north coast, but has spent the past two Australian winters playing in Ireland on his Irish passport.
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And he represented the Irish, eligible because of his Dublin-born grandfather, against Sri Lanka A in two limited overs fixtures in July.
“I had a few junior coaches who had been across to Ireland just randomly to play and they said I should go and maybe play a World Cup over there if I did well,” Larkin said after his maiden first-class century.
“When I finished uni and decided to do an overseas season, I was tossing up between Ireland and England. And the lure of playing international cricket was pretty tempting.”
To further complicate his story, Larkin last month played for the ACT – against Ireland.
He made the ACT team as part of a pathways program that allows cricketers born in regional NSW to play for the territory.
Larkin was then summoned into NSW’s Shield team and struck gold in Adelaide – making 78 in the first dig before Monday’s “really special” century.
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The well-travelled batsman was uncertain what his feats could mean in terms of World Cup selection for Ireland.
Larkin was more focused on trying to keep his spot in the NSW team when the state’s Australian players return.
“I’m not really thinking about Ireland at the moment because I’m obviously in the middle of a season at home,” he said.
“I’m just hoping to play the next Shield game, if I’m lucky.”
Play begins at 2pm. For commentary and live video feed go here.
SCOREBOARD
New South Wales 1st innings 230
South Australia 1st Innings
A McDONALD c Carters b Sandhu 2 (12)
P HUGHES c Carters b Starc 20 (27)
C FERGUSON c Henry b Lalor 15 (46)
T COOPER b Sandhu 121 (204)
T HEAD c Nevill b Lalor 64 (94)
T LUDEMAN c Nevill b Starc 1 (8)
J BOTHA c Henry b Starc 6 (26)
J MENNIE b Starc 33 (91)
A ZAMPA c Carters b Sandhu 8 (14)
C SAYERS c Hughes b Sandhu 3 (16)
D WORRALL not out 3 (6)
Sundries (3b 14nb) 17
Total 293
Fall: 16 (McDonald), 31 (Hughes), 44 (Ferguson), 173 (Head), 175 (Ludeman), 186 (Botha), 268 (Cooper), 281 (Zampa), 289 (Mennie), 293 (Sayers).
Bowling: M Starc 23-6-64-4, G Sandhu 17.2-3-69-4 (14nb), S O’Keefe 23-3-69-0, J Lalor 16-4-56-2, W Somerville 9-2-32-0.
Overs: 88.2.
New South Wales 2nd Innings
R CARTERS c Sayers b Zampa 36 (82)
N LARKIN c Hughes b Botha 130 (215)
S HENRY not out 107 (191)
K PATTERSON c Hughes b Botha 10 (17)
D HUGHES lbw Worrall 21 (48)
Sundries (3b 10lb 2nb) 15
Four wickets for 319
Fall: 77 (Carters), 231 (Larkin), 261 (Patterson), 319 (Hughes).
Bowling: C Sayers 16-4-42-0, D Worrall 16-2-59-1, J Botha 27-3-74-2 (1nb), J Mennie 11-5-27-0 (1nb), A Zampa 18-1-81-1, T Head 4-1-23-0.
Overs: 92.
Umpires: Gerard Abood, Wayne Knights.
Match Referee: Peter Marshall.
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