Young gun Patterson continues stylish fightback for NSW Blues

NEWSouth Wales young gun Kurtis Patterson led a fightback against Tasmania at Bellerive with a first half- century since becoming the youngest player to make a Sheffield Shield hundred.

Patterson was unbeaten on 52 at stumps on day two, putting on 98 with paceman Trent Copeland (54) as the pair rescued the Blues from trouble at 5-102.

NSW were 5-200 in reply to Tasmania’s first innings total of 354.

Patterson became the youngest player to score a Shield century when he made 157 against WA two years ago as an 18-year-old.

Now 20, he hadn’t reached 50 since that stunning debut in three first class games prior to Hobart.

He hit four boundaries in an impressive knock, while Copeland cracked nine fours.

It came as former Test paceman Ben Hilfenhaus suffered a recurrence of a side strain.

Hilfenhaus opened the bowling for the Tigers but managed just five overs for figures of 0-12 before he was forced to leave the ground. The 30-year-old first suffered the injury in his last Test, also in Hobart, against Sri Lanka last December.

Hilfenhaus played 27 Tests, taking 99 wickets at 28.50 but had managed just five scalps in three Shield games before the clash with the Blues.

He was rested for Tasmania’s home loss to Victoria two weeks ago and went wicketless in their next match, a draw with South Australia.

Left- armer Sam Rainbird im- pressed for the Tigers with 2-55, removing Scott Henry (15) and Ben Rohrer (21) in the space of five runs.

NSW lost Nic Maddinson (14) at 1-19 and Ryan Carters at 2-57 before Rainbird’s double strike reduced the visitors to 4-87.

Blues spinner Steve O’Keefe will begin the second innings on a hattrick after earlier mopping up the Tigers’ tail with 4-74.