Bowlers dominate as national hopes crushed
AS AUSTRALIA’S Test side stumbled on Day 2 in Adelaide, Queensland’s three overlooked batsmen failed to mount a case for a recall on a day of carnage in Hobart.
Matthew Renshaw, Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne all made starts before failing on a lively Bellerive Oval wicket as Tasmania roared back from being rolled for 167 by reducing the Bulls to 8-86
by stumps. Matthew Wade, the former Test wicketkeeper, topscored with 63 in the Tigers’ first innings of 167 before rookie paceman Alex Pyecroft took a stunning 5-18 to have the Bulls reeling.
Queensland had control of the match after sending the Tigers in to bat.
Michael Neser and Mark Steketee both picked up three wickets, while wicketkeeper
Jimmy Peirson took six catches for the innings.
Wade hit nine fours in a knock that puts him at the top of the Shield run-scorers (531) in 2018-19 with five 50s and a century.
The Tigers were bowled out on the stoke of tea, after a valuable final-wicket stand of 37 between Gabe Bell and Riley Meredith.
In reply, Renshaw fell for 14,
Burns made 18, and Labuschagne 21.
After his fellow quicks cracked Queensland’s top three, Pyecroft, who debuted last match against South Australia, ripped through the middle order, taking his five scalps in the space of 10 overs.
Neser is unbeaten on 17 alongside Mitchell Swepson (4no) with the Bulls still trailing by 81 runs. At the MCG,
Nic Maddinson scored an unbeaten century on his Shield debut for Victoria to put the home side in charge at 3-311 against Western Australia.
The three-Test batsman blasted two sixes and 21 fours in his 159 runs from 282 balls.
At the SCG, Tom Cooper (87no) and Alex Carey (66no) engineered a fightback, with South Australia 5-315 after day one of their clash with NSW.