Cricket

Cameron Bancroft's struggles continued on the opening day of Western Australia's Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria, as the former Test opener was dismissed for just 12. Bancroft's dismissal was part of a tough day for WA's batters, who were bowled out for 167. Victoria, in response, reached 100 for 2 at stumps, with Marcus Harris unbeaten on 40.Bancroft's poor form this summer has been a major concern for the 30-year-old, who was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield over the past two summers. However, his form has deserted him at the worst possible time, with the Australian Test team set to tour Sri Lanka later this month.Todd Murphy, on the other hand, had a day to remember on his 24th birthday. The Victorian spinner took 4 for 37, including the wickets of Sam Fanning, Joel Paris, Cameron Gannon, and Brody Couch. Murphy's performance will put him in contention for a spot on the Sri Lanka tour, where he could provide support to Nathan Lyon.Victoria's other wicket-taker was Corey Rocchiccioli, who had Campbell Kellaway caught at cover for 26. Harris and Travis Dean (22) put on a 50-run partnership for the second wicket before Dean was dismissed by Rocchiccioli.At stumps, Victoria were well-placed to take control of the match. Harris looked in good touch, while Dean and Kellaway had also made solid contributions. WA, on the other hand, will need to bat much better in their second innings if they are to avoid defeat.

Jackson Bird, a veteran seamer, turned back the clock with a remarkable seven-wicket haul as New South Wales (NSW) secured a 30-run first-innings lead over South Australia (SA) on day one of their Sheffield Shield match.Bird's exceptional performance at Adelaide's Karen Rolton Oval on Thursday saw him torment SA's batters, who were dismissed for a paltry 110. His nagging deliveries outside the off stump proved too much for the hosts, with five batters edging to the slips. Conor McInerney also fell victim to Bird's guile, inside-edging a ball to short leg in the opening over.NSW openers Sam Konstas and Nic Maddinson provided a solid response, reaching 140 for 2 at stumps. Maddinson led the way with a patient 69 from 163 balls, while Konstas contributed a promising 28 before falling lbw to Harry Conway.Konstas, considered a rising star in Australian cricket, showcased his potential with some impressive shots, including a delightful drive down the ground off Conway. However, his dismissal to a ball that nipped back into him highlighted the challenges of facing a quality bowling attack.Maddinson, on the other hand, displayed his experience and composure, absorbing pressure before taking charge in the final session. He struck two elegant drives off Nathan McAndrew and smashed Conway through cover to reach his half-century.However, a moment of brilliance from Lloyd Pope brought Maddinson's innings to an end. Pope's delivery drifted, dipped, and spun back between Maddinson's bat and pad, bowling him in a rare bright spot for SA.Despite Maddinson's departure, NSW remains in a strong position heading into day two. Patterson, who finished the day unbeaten on 32, will look to build on his innings and extend the Blues' lead.

Western Australia's dominance in the Sheffield Shield continued as they thrashed Tasmania by an innings and 45 runs in Hobart. The victory extended WA's lead at the top of the ladder, showcasing their impressive depth and skill.Ashton Agar, a left-arm spinner, played a pivotal role in the win, claiming 3 for 12 in the second innings. His performance came after a call from Australian chairman of selectors George Bailey for left-arm spinners to step up. Agar's variety and control dried up the runs, allowing the pace attack to shine.Brody Couch became the first bowler in Western Australian history to take a Sheffield Shield hat-trick, dismissing Jake Doran, Lawrence Neil-Smith, and Sam Elliott in quick succession. The hat-trick extinguished any hopes of a Tasmanian draw.WA's victory was built on a strong first innings performance, where they amassed 460 for 9 declared. Cameron Bancroft (153), Sam Whiteman (94), and Agar (74) led the way with substantial contributions.Tasmania's batting struggled throughout the match. In the second innings, they were dismissed for a paltry 98, with only Caleb Jewell (61) offering any resistance. Joel Paris, a left-arm pacer, was the pick of the WA bowlers, claiming 2 for 18 in the second innings to complement his 4 for 45 in the first.The WA performance was particularly impressive considering the absence of strike bowler Matthew Kelly, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first innings. The team's depth and resilience were evident as they overcame this setback to secure a comprehensive victory.

New South Wales' Kurtis Patterson has cemented his return to the Sheffield Shield with a gritty performance that helped his side salvage a draw against Queensland.After being asked to follow-on with a 167-run deficit, Patterson's 66 and Ollie Davies' 88 guided New South Wales to 256 for 4 when the match was called off.Patterson, who was once concerned about his first-class career, has now played two crucial innings for the Blues. In the first innings, he scored 91, and in the second, he played a lone hand with 66.Davies also impressed for New South Wales, taking the game on late after being cautious early. His 88 included six boundaries, and he formed a 117-run partnership with Patterson that put Queensland's bowlers under pressure.Queensland had declared their first innings on 406 for 5, with Jack Lovell scoring an unbeaten 146. Bryce McDermott (87), Usman Khawaja (58), and Jimmy Hearne (58) also contributed to the total.The draw leaves both teams without a win from the opening three rounds of the Sheffield Shield, with two draws each. However, it was a personal victory for Patterson, who has shown that he still has plenty to offer at the first-class level.

Queensland's Angus Lovell has propelled the Bulls to a commanding position in their Sheffield Shield clash against New South Wales, scoring a maiden first-class century and leading his team to a 167-run lead.Lovell's unbeaten 146, crafted with patience and determination at Cricket Central in western Sydney, was the cornerstone of Queensland's dominant day three performance. The 25-year-old shared a mammoth 310-run partnership with Ben McDermott, who contributed a valuable 87 off 143 deliveries.Despite the absence of wickets for Test quick Josh Hazlewood, who bowled 24 overs without success, Queensland's top-six batsmen all made significant contributions. Lovell's century was particularly impressive, as he capitalized on two missed chances by NSW fielders.Lovell's heroics with the bat followed his impressive performance with the ball, where he claimed 3 for 13 to clean up the NSW tail. His all-round display continued a remarkable run of form, having recently scored an unbeaten 250 for Queensland's second XI.After McDermott's dismissal, Lovell forged another substantial partnership with Lachlan Hearne, who made 58 before falling to Ryan Hadley. Tanveer Sangha also picked up two wickets for NSW.Queensland will enter the final day with a significant advantage, needing to set a challenging target before attempting to dismiss NSW's batsmen. The Bulls will be aiming to build on their lead and secure a crucial victory in their Shield campaign.

Victoria's hopes of securing a victory against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide hang in the balance after a dominant performance from Ben Manenti. The offspinning allrounder played a pivotal role with both bat and ball, leaving South Australia in a commanding position heading into the final day.Victoria's openers managed to survive six overs unscathed, but they still require a daunting 337 runs to secure victory. South Australia's declaration late in the day set Victoria a challenging target of 346, thanks in large part to Manenti's aggressive batting.Manenti's unbeaten 62 off 71 balls, which included three towering sixes, was the highlight of South Australia's second innings. He came to the crease with his team in trouble at 176 for 6, but his top-scoring performance helped them post a competitive total.Earlier in the day, Manenti had also impressed with the ball, claiming career-best figures of 5 for 73. He picked up four top-order wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Victoria's wicketkeeper Sam Harper, who had revived their innings on day two.Victoria resumed day three on 195 for 7, but Harry Conway's dismissal of Harper proved to be a turning point. Harper had reached 89 before being trapped lbw, ending his hopes of a century. Manenti then wrapped up the innings by bowling Doug Warren, leaving Victoria with a 75-run deficit.South Australia's second innings got off to a shaky start when Henry Hunt was caught behind without scoring. However, Jake Lehmann made amends for his first-innings duck with a well-compiled 60. Alex Carey, who has been in impressive form this season, also contributed with a valuable innings.Veteran paceman Peter Siddle was the most successful bowler for Victoria, claiming 4 for 63 for the second time in the match. Rookie spinner Warren also impressed with 3 for 74.With Victoria needing a significant number of runs to win and South Australia's bowlers in good form, the match is poised for an exciting conclusion on the final day.

Tasmania's hopes of salvaging a result against Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield clash at Bellerive Oval took a significant blow on day three, as the visitors declared their first innings on 460 for 9, leaving the home side with a daunting task to avoid defeat.Hilton Cartwright was the star for Western Australia, scoring a magnificent 153 to help his team establish a commanding position. The right-hander, who had survived a controversial caught-behind decision on the previous evening, batted with great determination and skill, striking 18 boundaries in his 278-ball knock.Cartwright shared century partnerships with Jayden Goodwin (94) and Ashton Agar (74), as Western Australia gradually wore down the Tasmanian bowlers. Goodwin fell six runs short of a second first-class century, while Agar was eventually trapped lbw by Matthew Kuhnemann, who finished with impressive figures of 5 for 100.Tasmania's bowlers toiled hard throughout the day, but they were unable to make significant inroads into the Western Australian batting lineup. Gabe Bell provided a brief glimmer of hope with two wickets in successive overs, but Cartwright and Agar steadied the ship with a substantial partnership.In response, Tasmania's openers Jake Weatherald and Caleb Jewell failed to survive the testing conditions, falling for 0 and 1 respectively. The home side will need to produce a remarkable batting performance on day four to avoid a heavy defeat.

Queensland Trails New South Wales in Rain-Hit Sheffield Shield ClashUsman Khawaja's resilient half-century provided a beacon of hope for Queensland on a rain-marred second day of their Sheffield Shield encounter against New South Wales at Cricket Central in Sydney.Despite the inclement weather, Khawaja, a Test opener, showcased his unwavering form, guiding Queensland's response to New South Wales' first-innings total of 239. However, the match was severely disrupted by persistent rain, with only one delivery bowled across the final two sessions.By the time play was abandoned late on Saturday, Queensland had reached 96 for 2, trailing by 143 runs. Khawaja's contribution of 58 runs, including two towering sixes, was the highlight of the day's play.However, Khawaja's innings was not without controversy. New South Wales' Ryan Hadley believed he had caught Khawaja at fine leg off Tanveer Sangha's bowling, but the umpires ruled in favor of the batsman after consulting with each other. Khawaja had also survived an lbw appeal from Josh Hazlewood earlier in his innings.Hazlewood and Jack Edwards combined to bowl six consecutive maiden overs at the start of the day, but Matt Renshaw finally broke the shackles with a thick edge to the boundary. However, Renshaw's bid to reclaim his Test spot was cut short when he was trapped lbw by Sangha for 25.The wet conditions forced the second session to be delayed, and only one ball was bowled before rain halted play once again. That crucial delivery saw Khawaja edge Edwards to Ollie Davies in the slips, leaving Queensland with a mountain to climb in the remaining days of the match.