Cricket

New South Wales (NSW) has taken a commanding lead over South Australia (SA) in their Sheffield Shield encounter in Sydney, thanks to centuries from Daniel Hughes and Oliver Davies.Hughes and Davies both scored 114 runs, anchoring NSW's innings and giving them a strong position heading into the final day. Hughes' knock was particularly impressive, as he started the day on 71 and brought up his century during the morning session.Davies, who was making his second Shield century of the summer, also played a crucial role in NSW's resurgence. He and Hughes put on a 150-run partnership for the second wicket, which laid the foundation for NSW's strong total.Moises Henriques and Jack Edwards also contributed valuable runs, helping NSW reach 465 for 8 at stumps on day three. Chris Green and Ryan Hadley will resume batting on Monday, looking to extend NSW's lead even further.SA's bowlers toiled hard throughout the day, but were unable to make significant inroads into NSW's batting lineup. Nathan McAndrew was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 63, while Ben Manenti claimed 2 for 114.Despite the deficit, SA remains in contention for an outright win. The Redbacks will need to bowl NSW out quickly on Monday and then chase down a challenging target.

Will Pucovski's concussion woes continue as he is forced to retire hurt in Sheffield Shield matchWill Pucovski's injury-plagued career took another unfortunate turn on Friday when he was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the helmet by a Riley Meredith bouncer in Victoria's Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart.Pucovski, who has a history of concussions, was struck by the short ball from the second delivery he faced and immediately went down on his knees in the crease. The Cricket Australia doctor and Victoria physio were quickly into the middle, and after some time to compose himself, Pucovski was able to walk off the field unaided for further assessment.Campbell Kellaway was brought into the XI as the concussion substitute. The match is in the fourth innings with Victoria chasing 442."Pucovski, who walked from the field, is being monitored by medical staff," a Cricket Victoria statement said. "More information will be provided at a later stage."Pucovski has suffered multiple concussions throughout his career and last month returned from another spell on the sidelines where he made a century against New South Wales at the SCG.He has also had time away from the game for his mental health and earlier this year spoke about how he has learned that there is a link between that and his concussions."The mental health has been a much bigger issue for me than even the concussions," he told the Vic State Cricket podcast. "I don't fear for my long-term health, it's more the mental health side that's been the tougher part.""One day I'll be ready to tell my whole story and it will probably make a lot more sense," he added. "I've explained what I've been through to my inner circle of people and actually all the responses I've got have been like 'Jesus, I would never have guessed that in a million years, that doesn't even make sense to me'.""It hasn't made sense to me for years, either, but I've been on this pathway to understand it all."Pucovski played one Test for Australia in early 2021, against India at the SCG.

Western Australia's quest for a third consecutive Sheffield Shield title gained momentum after a dominant bowling performance against Queensland at the WACA Ground.In response to WA's competitive 310, Queensland were bundled out for a paltry 170 in 54.5 overs on a challenging day marked by overcast conditions and gusty winds. WA openers Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman safely negotiated 16 runs before lightning forced an early end to the day's play.Spinner Corey Rocchiccioli played a pivotal role in dismantling Queensland's tail, claiming 4 for 54. Joel Paris continued his impressive form with 2 for 15 off 12 overs, while Charlie Stobo and Cameron Gannon also chipped in with wickets.Queensland's top order faltered in the overcast conditions, with Paris dismissing Bryce Street for a duck. Gannon produced a spectacular diving one-handed catch off his own bowling to dismiss Angus Lovell. Jack Clayton, Jimmy Peirson, and Jack Wildermuth all made starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores.WA's bowlers maintained a relentless pressure, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Queensland managed to add 46 runs for their last two wickets, but WA held a commanding lead of 156 runs.The victory puts WA in a strong position to secure a top-two finish in the Shield standings. They currently sit third but have an opportunity to leapfrog second-placed Victoria, who are facing defeat against ladder leaders Tasmania.WA will face Victoria in the final round at Junction Oval, meaning their fate is in their own hands. Bancroft and Whiteman will be crucial in forming a solid second-innings partnership when play resumes on Sunday.