NSW v South Australia Sheffield Shield at Bankstown CC

Trust all is well back there in Nottingham...counting the days until the new County Championship season eh. I went to the above fixture being the final day of a key Sheffield Shield game with NSW leading the ladder with two games to play after this match. This is in the regular season. The Final is between the leader and the runner-up with the leading State hosting. I hope that my report can be included in the Harry Butler Daft facebook pages. For those not acquainted with Mr Daft he played 20 first class matches for Nottinghamshire CCC between 1885 and 1899. Daft was also an excellent footballer and was a member of the Notts County side which won the FA Cup in 1894 defeating Bolton Wanderers 4-1 in the Final. Additionally he was a very good lacrosse player and was reserve in the national team. 

On to matters at Bankstown CC..

Overnight score:

NSW 373 Hughes 103 Gilkes 83 Edwards 48* Mennie 6-103   &  2-236 dec.  Hughes 136 Solway 53*

South Australia 207 Ferguson 44 Copeland 5-63  &  1-40

NSW required 9 wickets to win whilst South Australia needed 363 runs for victory

The tall Trent Copeland opened the bowling for NSW from the Southern End of the ground. He had bowled well in nabbing a '5 fer' in South Australia's first innings . However, it was Lyon coming in from the Northern End who took an early wicket. His opening ball of the day found the edge of Wetherall's bat and the opener was well caught for 20 [2-41] by w/k Neville, in the opinion of many the best gloveman in Australia. 

[Conversation piece....away from the game much of the talk around Australian cricket circles centres on the new 'next big thing' namely Western Australia's Cameron Green. The 6 foot 5 inches tall 20 year old may well be the complete future all-rounder being sought nationally. His recent majestic 158* v. Tasmania and his ability to bowl at 140 ksph has thrust him into the limelight -- certainly one to watch]

Lyon continued his good work when clean bowling nightwatchman Mennie for 1 [3-46]. Much then depended on players with Test experience to rescue the situation for the Redcaps namely Callum Ferguson and Travis Head. Head has signed for Sussex CCC and his positive intent was immediately evident as he straightdrove Lyon for 4 with his first stroke.

[A word about 24 year old Daniel Solway of NSW. Daniel was a non-contract player at the start of the season but he has succeeded in gaining a contract through appearances and has contributed significantly to the Blues' success through application and sheer weight of runs. A Bankstown CC cricketer he looks very much at home in the Sheffield Shield ; a natural opener his ability to 'see off' the first and indeed second new ball has helped to earn him his stripes, a bright cricketing future beckons.]

Both Head and Ferguson accumulated well prior to lunch with NSW ringing the bowling changes. The tall seamer Conway and the bustling Hatcher together with spinner Sangha toiling unsuccessfully following upon the lengthy spells of Copeland and Lyon. The Bankstown wicket was excellent giving true bounce and some turn unlike the low, slow offerings at the SCG.

A contentious incident occurred in the 46th over when Head straight drove Sangha. The bowler appeared to deflect the ball onto the stumps at the non-striker's end. Ferguson seemed to be out of his ground backing up. The ball broke the wicket. Sangha and the NSW fielders appealed loudly for a run out. This was rejected by umpire Simon Fry. We speculated that perhaps his view was impaired. In any event it was 'not out' much to the chagrin of the NSW players and the cognoscenti occupying seats in the Kevin McCormick Grandstand. 

Lunchtime scoreboard: South Australia 3-141 Head 57* Ferguson 41*

The afternoon session

Captain Head loses his head. In the first over after lunch Head airily pulled a bouncer from Copeland and was caught at deep fine leg at the second attempt by Hatcher [4-141]

Though Head notched a fifty many of his shots were aerial and for me he always looks a 'walking wicket' at the highest level. Given the position his side were in one expects more. On Head's dismissal Ferguson dropped anchor and eventually struck a patient and deserved half-century. His new partner Tom Cooper a New South Welshman by birth and Netherlands international player put  bat very much to ball. Thus the score at Tea was a very respectable 4-231. 

[Discussion ensued at the Tea interval as it does regarding those NSW players 'missing in action' and thus unavailable for selection for this game...what a list Warner, Smith, Abbott, Henriques, Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins were noted I may well have missed one or two..]

Last session

Another interval another wicket. Ferguson flicked at a slightly wide delivery from seamer Hatcher and the ever reliable Neville pouched the important catch, [5-244] Ferguson out for a very good 82.

It's action replay time as Cooper nicks Hatcher to Neville [6-246] Cooper 62

It's [7-263] as Nielsen nicks a ball from Copeland into the gloves of skipper Neville , Nielsen 7

The excitement amongst the Blues' fielders is palpable as the match has swung totally back to the bowling side. Sayers is clean bowled by the cock-a-hoop Copeland for a three ball duck. [8-263]

Another full delivery by Copeland and Bosisto is trapped LBW for 7 having resisted for 41 deliveries. [9-266]

Finally the match is won when Lyon pins Pope LBW for a duck - [10-266] . NSW win by 133 runs around 4:55pm

MOM was awarded to NSW opener Daniel Hughes who scored two notable centuries. The vastly underrated Trent Copeland finished with match figures of 53 overs 18 maidens 9 wickets and 123 runs, a sterling performance . The guile of Lyon was also a constant threat to the visitors.

Ably skippered by Peter Neville [he reminds me of Bruce French when wicketkeeping] and excellently prepared by coach  Phil Jacques the NSW side persevered throughout to an ultimately convincing victory. It puts the Blues clearly at the head of the ladder and likely hosts of the Sheffield Shield Final. Such a shame that so few people turned up at the friendly Bankstown CC ground to see this fine performance.

cheers

Andy