Cricket

Queensland's Sheffield Shield woes continued as they were forced to settle for a draw against Tasmania at Allan Border Field. Despite a valiant effort from Ben McDermott and Jimmy Peirson, the hosts were unable to overcome Tasmania's dominant performance.Tasmania, led by Jake Weatherald's superb 186, posted a mammoth 461 in their first innings. Queensland's response was hampered by the weather, with most of day two lost to rain. Resuming on 274 for 7, they were quickly bundled out for 291, falling 20 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.Mitchell Owen and Riley Meredith picked up early wickets in Queensland's second innings, leaving them teetering at 126 for 5. However, McDermott and Peirson combined for an unbroken 99-run stand to salvage a draw.Queensland captain Mitchell Swepson acknowledged Tasmania's dominance, stating, "We play Shield cricket to win and unfortunately we haven't been able to get into positions to win." He added, "Tassie were driving the game from the first day when we weren't quite on with the ball."Queensland's winless streak in Brisbane now stands at six games, comprising four losses and two draws. They will face top-of-the-table Victoria in a day-night clash at the Gabba on Sunday, a match they must win to revive their season.Tasmania, meanwhile, will travel to Sydney to face New South Wales, also seeking their first victory of the summer.

Victoria's dominance in the Sheffield Shield continued as they crushed Western Australia by eight wickets at Junction Oval. Despite a rare hat-trick from WA spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, Victoria chased down the modest target of 120 with ease.Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb led the charge for Victoria, putting on an unbroken 103-run partnership for the third wicket. Rocchiccioli's hat-trick had given WA a glimmer of hope, but Handscomb's aggressive approach and Harris's steady support ensured a comfortable victory.Earlier, WA had been dismissed for 325 before lunch. Joel Curtis's unbeaten 119 was the highlight of their innings, while Sam Elliott claimed four wickets for Victoria.In the first innings, Victoria had posted a formidable 373, with Will Rogers, Matt Crone, and Handscomb all contributing half-centuries. WA's bowlers struggled to contain Victoria's batting lineup, with Fergus O'Neill and Todd Murphy taking six and four wickets respectively.Rocchiccioli's hat-trick was a rare moment of brilliance for WA. He became the first WA bowler to achieve the feat in Shield cricket and only the second in the competition's history. However, it was not enough to prevent Victoria from securing a convincing victory.Victoria's win extends their unbeaten streak in the Shield to four matches. They now sit atop the standings with 22 points, while WA remains in fifth place with 10 points.

Ashton Agar's One-Handed Heroics Fall Short as Victoria Triumphs in Sheffield ShieldIn a remarkable display of courage and determination, Western Australia's Ashton Agar defied a painful shoulder injury to bat one-handed against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield on Monday.Despite the discomfort, Agar bravely took his place at the crease as the No. 11 batsman. Facing a formidable seam and spin attack, he showcased incredible resilience and added a crucial 15 runs for the final wicket with centurion Joel Curtis.Agar's valiant effort, though, was not enough to prevent Victoria from chasing down the 120-run target with ease. Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb struck unbeaten half-centuries to guide their side to victory inside 24 overs.Agar's injury occurred during Western Australia's first innings when he attempted to field a ball at short leg. Despite the pain, he returned to the field and bowled 10 overs, taking two wickets.His determination to contribute to his team's cause was evident throughout the match. Batting one-handed, Agar displayed impeccable technique and timing, hitting a boundary off Victoria's spinner Jon Holland.While Agar's heroics ultimately proved futile, his performance serves as a testament to his unwavering spirit and love for the game. His courage and resilience have inspired his teammates and cricket fans alike.

Western Australia's hopes of salvaging a draw against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield clash at Junction Oval dwindled on Sunday as the hosts chipped away at their batting lineup. Resuming on 34 for 1, the visitors battled through a rain-interrupted day to reach 278 for 7 at stumps, still trailing by 72 runs with a day to play.Hilton Cartwright, who has been in impressive form this season, anchored the Western Australian innings with a gritty 78 off 166 deliveries. He received support from skipper Ashton Turner and wicketkeeper Joel Curtis, who played a defiant knock to keep his side's faint hopes alive.However, Victoria's seam attack, led by Fergus O'Neill and Sam Elliott, proved too potent. O'Neill, who also claimed three wickets in the first innings, ended Cartwright's vigil with a perfect cutter that tickled the outside edge. Elliott, meanwhile, snared Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin in the morning session, both edging into the bucket hands of first slip Peter Handscomb.The visitors' cause was further hampered by an injury to spinner Ashton Agar, who is now a doubt to bat. With a day to play, Victoria, who have already secured vital bonus points from the match, will be confident of securing victory and moving to the top of the Sheffield Shield ladder.Cartwright's defiance, which has seen him score 420 runs at an average of 70 in four Shield matches this year, may not be enough to salvage anything for Western Australia. However, along with Curtis, he has made the Victorians fight hard for their victory.

Queensland opener Matt Renshaw has reignited his Test aspirations with a defiant century against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. The 28-year-old, who had been overlooked for the upcoming India series, struck an unbeaten 120 to lead Queensland's fightback on day three at Allan Border Field.Renshaw's innings was a timely reminder of his class, having struggled for runs in recent Shield matches. However, he displayed confidence and determination from the outset, hitting his first boundary with a purposeful whip through mid-on. He continued in that vein, bringing up his 22nd first-class century with a punch through cover.Renshaw's century came after he had taken steps to block out the hype surrounding Australia's opening slot. "Deleting a lot of apps and not reading any news has been a big one," he said. "It feels like every summer there is a circus about something and it is usually about the openers because Australian cricket wants another opener."Despite missing out on Test selection, Renshaw remains confident in his ability to add to his 14 caps for Australia. "Definitely. I feel like I am not too far away," he said. "Obviously timing is huge in cricket. I missed my time on this occasion but there will be another time in the future when I have to be ready."Renshaw received support from Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, and 19-year-old seamer Tom Straker. McDermott scored 44, Peirson contributed 36, and Straker took 4-87 in Tasmania's first innings.Tasmania had resumed on 394 for 5 on day three, but were bowled out for 461. Allrounder Beau Webster upped the ante as wickets tumbled, scoring a quickfire 32.Queensland finished the day on 274 for 7, needing 37 runs to avoid the follow-on with a day remaining.

Victoria's lower-order batters played a crucial role in securing a commanding 206-run first-innings lead over Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield encounter at the Junction Oval.After being dismissed for a paltry 167, WA initially kept Victoria in check, reducing them to 207 for 6. However, No. 9 Xavier Crone emerged as an unlikely hero, smashing an unbeaten 62 off just 65 deliveries, including three towering sixes. His innings propelled Victoria to a respectable 373.Fellow lower-order contributors Fergus O'Neill (44) and Sam Elliott (26) also played their part, forcing WA's bowlers to toil relentlessly in the scorching heat.WA's opening bowlers Joel Paris (3-44) and Cameron Gannon (3-59) along with spinner Corey Rocchiccioli (3-115) shared the wickets, accounting for all but one of WA's dismissals.In response, WA faced a challenging hour of batting before stumps, reaching 33 for 1. Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin remained unbeaten at the crease.Opener Cameron Bancroft, who has been struggling for form after dominating the Shield in recent seasons, continued his poor run. After being overlooked for a Test call-up for the first time since the 2019 Ashes, Bancroft fell to O'Neill for 11. In the first innings, he had managed only 12, also losing his wicket to O'Neill.Victoria's strong performance has put them in a prime position to become the first team to defeat WA in the Shield this season. WA, aiming for a fourth consecutive title, were undefeated after three matches before their trip to Melbourne.

New South Wales (NSW) has secured a resounding victory over South Australia (SA) in the Sheffield Shield, winning by an innings and one run. Former Test quick Jackson Bird played a pivotal role, claiming 11 wickets in the match.In the first innings, Bird wreaked havoc on the SA batting lineup, taking seven wickets for just 46 runs. The hosts were bundled out for a paltry 110, giving NSW a significant advantage.In response, NSW posted a formidable 394, with Kurtis Patterson leading the way with a well-crafted 71. Patterson, who had been dropped from the NSW team last summer, has now scored three consecutive half-centuries.SA showed some fight in the second innings, with Jake Lehmann scoring a gritty century. However, Bird was once again unstoppable, taking four wickets for 65 runs. Jack Edwards also chipped in with four wickets, as SA was dismissed for 283.Bird's 11-wicket haul was his sixth 10-wicket match haul in first-class cricket. It was also his first five-wicket haul since March 2021.The victory is a major boost for NSW, who are now undefeated in the Shield this season. SA, on the other hand, suffered a reality check after their impressive start to the campaign.

Kurtis Patterson's resurgence as a first-class cricketer continued on Friday as he notched up his third consecutive half-century for New South Wales, helping the Blues extend their dominance over South Australia in their Sheffield Shield clash.Patterson, who was dropped from NSW's Shield side for most of last summer and feared his career was over, has seized the opportunity presented by Australia A duties depleting the Blues' batting lineup. His 71 on day two at Karen Rolton Oval followed scores of 91 and 66 earlier this month.With NSW already in a strong position, Patterson's innings helped them post a formidable 394, giving them a first-innings lead of 284. South Australia, in response, stumbled to 53 for 3 at stumps, still needing 231 runs to avoid batting again.Patterson's innings was a patient one, with the two-time Test representative taking his time to settle in before unleashing his trademark cover drives. He eventually fell to Brendan Doggett, but not before giving NSW a solid foundation.Patterson was one of four NSW players to pass 50 against the previously undefeated South Australians. Nic Maddinson (69) set the tone on the opening evening, while Oliver Davies (56) and Matthew Gilkes (55) also made significant contributions.Davies, in particular, was impressive, using his feet to take on spinner Lloyd Pope and hitting him for a six and two fours in quick succession.Nathan McAndrew was the pick of the South Australian bowlers, taking 4 for 90, while Doggett claimed 3 for 90. However, no South Australian bowler could match the heroics of NSW veteran Jackson Bird, who took 7 for 46 in the first innings to set up the Blues' dominance.

Tasmania's Jake Weatherald dominated the Queensland bowlers on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash, closing in on his highest first-class score with an unbeaten 185. The 31-year-old opener, along with fellow left-hander Jake Doran (89*), guided Tasmania to a commanding 358 for 3 at the end of the day's play.Weatherald and Doran forged an unbroken 161-run partnership for the fourth wicket, showcasing their class and resilience against a lackluster Queensland bowling attack. Tim Ward had earlier contributed a valuable 51 at No. 3.Queensland captain Mitchell Swepson's decision to bowl first under overcast conditions backfired as Weatherald and Doran seized control of the innings. The visitors' batsmen capitalized on the poor line and length of the Queensland bowlers, who also committed fielding errors.Weatherald, known for his aggressive batting style, maintained a strike rate of 91.58, sending the ball to the boundary with ease. He expressed satisfaction with his approach, stating that he had learned from his previous match where he had been more cautious.Despite his impressive performance, Weatherald acknowledged that he may have missed his chance to earn a Test call-up. However, he praised the depth of quality opening batters in the Australian domestic scene, highlighting the recent success of Nathan McSweeney, Sam Whiteman, and Caleb Jewel.Queensland's bowling attack, missing strike bowler Michael Neser due to injury, struggled to contain the Tasmanian batsmen. Swepson's attempts to rotate bowlers proved ineffective as none of the six bowlers used could make a significant impact.Tasmania's strong start is a stark contrast to their previous Shield clash against Western Australia, where they were bowled out for 98 in the second innings. The visitors will look to continue their dominance on day two and build a substantial lead.