NESER GRABS FIVE REDBACK SCALPS

DEBUTANT Wes Agar has edged South Australia back into its Sheffield Shield battle at the Gabba after Queensland paceman Michael Neser had earlier ripped through the Redbacks.

The Bulls were 3-70 at stumps, chasing the Redbacks’ 221, with former Test trio Joe Burns (39), Matt Renshaw (18) and Usman Khawaja (2) all falling late on yesterday’s opening day.

Agar (3-6), the younger brother of Ashton, took all three wickets, with Khawaja caught on the crease and adjudged lbw in the day’s final over.

Earlier, Ashes tourist Neser (5-56) sent a reminder to selectors, having figures of 3-0 at one stage as South Australia limped to lunch at 5-55. Test vice-captain Travis Head, left out of Australia’s side for the final Ashes Test, was one of three in the top six to register a duck before Tom Cooper (69) and Tom Andrews (78) rescued the innings in the middle session.

Neser returned to bowl Cooper, though, while Cameron Gannon and Mark Steketee both picked up two wickets and Marnus Labuschagne jagged the big scalp of Alex Carey, bizarrely bowled lap-sweeping a straight ball, on the stroke of lunch. Pushing for a Test return after being overlooked for the Ashes, Burns played with freedom before becoming Agar’s maiden firstclass wicket. Renshaw followed shortly after, gloving a short Agar delivery down leg side to be well caught onehanded by a flying Carey.

Khawaja looked unimpressed when given out in the shadows of day one.

Earlier, Cooper and Andrews put the heat back on the Bulls after lunch, blazing boundaries all around the wicket in a brisk 89-run stand.