Cricket

Former Test paceman Peter Siddle, at the age of 39, continues to defy the odds, playing a pivotal role in Victoria's strong position on day one of their Sheffield Shield match against South Australia.Despite a weakened Victoria side due to Australia A commitments, Siddle's experience and skill proved invaluable. He struck twice in an over to remove Daniel Drew and Jake Lehmann, and later returned to clean bowl Liam Scott, ending the day with impressive figures of 3-44 from 18 overs.South Australia, batting first at the Adelaide Oval, struggled to find fluency, reaching a scoring rate of two runs an over only in the final moments of the morning session. Conor McInerney was the first wicket to fall, dismissed by Victoria captain Will Sutherland.Henry Hunt and Liam Scott both scored half-centuries, but it was Siddle's interventions that kept Victoria in control. He removed Hunt, edging to first slip off Doug Warren's first ball, and caught Alex Carey on the boundary off Mitch Perry's bowling.Carey's dismissal for 44 left South Australia at 159 for 5, but Scott played a crucial innings to revive the home side, assisted by Ben Manenti and debutant Henry Thornton.Victoria's young bowling line-up, featuring Cam McClure, Mitch Perry, and Doug Warren, complemented Siddle's experience. Despite an early gift of five penalty runs, South Australia ended the day on 286 for 9, with Siddle's performance highlighting that age is no barrier to excellence.

Tasmania's first innings against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match at Bellerive Oval ended on a promising note, with the hosts reaching 302 for 7 on day one. Despite losing to WA in the Shield final rematch just two weeks ago, Tasmania's batsmen showed resilience and determination.Caleb Jewell and Mitchell Owen played pivotal roles in Tasmania's innings, scoring half-centuries. Jewell's 61 came off 114 deliveries, while Owen's 83 was a more aggressive knock, coming off just 83 balls. Owen's innings included 13 boundaries and two sixes, marking a career-best performance for the all-rounder.Tasmania's innings got off to a solid start, with openers Jake Weatherald and Tim Ward surviving the opening session without loss. However, Brody Couch broke the partnership by dismissing Weatherald for 49. Joel Paris then struck three quick wickets, trapping Jewell lbw, dismissing Charlie Wakim, and sending captain Jordan Silk back to the pavilion.Owen's arrival at the crease provided stability to Tasmania's innings. He shared a 102-run partnership with Brad Hope, who contributed 25 runs. Owen's dismissal in the final hour left Tasmania at 255 for 7, but the hosts managed to add another 47 runs before the close of play.Western Australia, despite missing several key players due to international commitments and other reasons, put up a strong bowling performance. Paris was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 4 for 38. Couch and Cameron Gannon also chipped in with two wickets each.Tasmania will be looking to build on their solid start on day two, while Western Australia will aim to make early inroads and put pressure on the hosts. The match is evenly poised, and both teams will be eager to secure a victory.

Kurtis Patterson's resurgence and Jack Edwards' timely return propelled New South Wales to a respectable total of 239 against Queensland in their Sheffield Shield clash. Patterson, making his first appearance for NSW since being dropped last season, compiled his highest first-class score in two years, an impressive 91. Edwards, recovering from injury, contributed a valuable 88.NSW's innings got off to a shaky start as Queensland's quicks, led by 19-year-old Tom Straker, reduced them to 59 for 5. However, Patterson and Edwards steadied the ship with a crucial 135-run partnership. Patterson, who had been dropped as NSW captain last season, admitted that he needed to be dropped to rediscover his form."I probably haven't said it publicly but I think I needed to be dropped when I was last year because frankly, I wasn't batting well enough," Patterson said. "I'd be lying if I said that thought never crossed my mind, whether I'd get another go back here. But thankfully I've kind of ticked all the boxes with [grade club] St George and got my opportunity."Edwards, who missed the last round with a hamstring injury, played aggressively to regain momentum for NSW. He was unfortunate to be given out caught behind short of a century. Patterson also appeared unhappy with the decision that ended his innings.NSW lost four wickets for three runs at the end of their innings, but Queensland's openers, Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw, negotiated the new ball spells, including Josh Hazlewood's first of the season, to finish the day unbeaten.Queensland's attack, despite missing senior figures Michael Neser and Mark Steketee, performed admirably. Liam Guthrie, Straker, and Angus Lovell all took wickets.

Josh Hazlewood will make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, marking his first appearance of the season. The experienced fast bowler had been sidelined due to illness but is now set to ramp up his preparations for the upcoming Test series against India.Hazlewood's inclusion in the NSW squad comes as Nathan Lyon has been rested after bowling a significant number of overs in the previous two Shield matches. The legspinner is expected to return for the Test series but will not feature in the upcoming fixture.The absence of Lyon and several other players due to international and Australia A commitments has significantly impacted the teams for round three of the Shield. NSW will be without Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Sam Konstas, and Josh Phillippe, while Queensland will miss Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Gurinder Sandhu, and Callum Vidler.Despite the player unavailability, both NSW and Queensland have named strong squads. NSW will welcome back allrounder Jack Edwards from a hamstring injury, while Tanveer Sangha will replace Lyon as the legspinner. Queensland will be led by Mitchell Swepson, with Usman Khawaja and Matthew Renshaw providing experience in the batting lineup.South Australia, who are also missing key players due to national and Australia A call-ups, will be captained by Alex Carey. The wicketkeeper-batsman has been in excellent form and will be looking to continue his run-scoring against Victoria.The upcoming round of Shield matches will provide valuable preparation for the players involved in the upcoming Test series against India. Hazlewood's return will be particularly important for NSW, as he aims to regain match fitness and sharpness ahead of the first Test in Nagpur.

The second round of the Sheffield Shield provided insights into the race for Test selection and the form of players ahead of the upcoming series against India.Openers Struggle:Australia's specialist openers continue to underperform. Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft have failed to impress, while Matt Renshaw and Sam Konstas have shown glimpses of promise but lack consistency.Smith's Lean Outing:Steven Smith, who is expected to move back to No. 4 in the Test batting order, had a disappointing outing at the MCG. He was dismissed cheaply in both innings, raising concerns about his form.McSweeney's Strong Start:Nathan McSweeney has emerged as a potential Test candidate with his impressive start to the season. His consistent performances have put him in contention for a spot in the squad, even if he is not selected as an opener.Keepers in Fine Form:Alex Carey and Josh Inglis have been in exceptional form, scoring multiple centuries. Their performances have raised the possibility of Australia playing two wicketkeepers in the Test side.Starc's Encouraging Return:Mitchell Starc looked sharp in his first red-ball outing since March. He found swing and pace, taking six wickets in the second innings. His performance bodes well for Australia's bowling attack against India.Others in the Mix:While most of Australia's Test squad is likely set, there are still some players vying for selection. Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had quiet weeks, while Mitchell Marsh struggled with the bat. Nathan Lyon and Michael Neser continue to impress, while Sean Abbott and Nathan McAndrew are also in contention.Upcoming Fixtures:Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will feature for NSW in the One-Day Cup match against Victoria on Friday. The focus then shifts to the first Australia A vs India A match in Mackay, which begins on October 31. The next round of Shield matches will also take place concurrently.

Cameron Bancroft's Test recall hopes suffered another setback as he failed for the fourth consecutive time in the Sheffield Shield season. However, Josh Inglis continued to impress, while Hilton Cartwright guided Western Australia to a six-wicket victory over Tasmania at the WACA.Chasing a modest target of 83 on the final day, Bancroft had a chance to boost his confidence after scoring just eight runs in his previous three innings. However, he struggled against the probing bowling of Riley Meredith and Kieran Elliott, miscuing a pull shot to fine leg for just two runs."He's pretty good to be honest...keeping things really simple," said WA captain Sam Whiteman of Bancroft. "I think it's a matter of time. Each fail...he's one closer to a big score. He's a pretty positive guy."WA's chase hit a snag as they slumped to 18 for 4, with Whiteman, Mitchell Marsh, and Aaron Hardie falling to Elliott. Inglis and Cartwright then steadied the ship with a quick half-century partnership, guiding WA to victory. Inglis finished unbeaten on 26 from 36 balls, while Cartwright remained not out on 39 from 50 balls.Cartwright's performance was particularly remarkable as he had to leave the ground at tea on day two when his wife went into labor. He returned on day three to resume his innings on 52 after the birth of his second child.Tasmania's innings ended quickly on day four, with Brody Couch claiming his fourth wicket of the innings to trap Meredith in front. Couch finished with match figures of 7 for 83, touching speeds of 143kph.

Victoria's relentless seamers dismantled a formidable New South Wales batting lineup, securing a resounding 141-run victory at the MCG. The triumph was overshadowed by the exceptional performance of Mitchell Starc, who showcased his readiness for the upcoming Test summer with a match haul of seven wickets.Victoria's victory was sealed before lunch on the fourth day, with Sam Elliott claiming the final four wickets, including the dismissal of Josh Philippe for a valiant 88. Elliott's 4 for 44 was complemented by Fergus O'Neill's player-of-the-match performance, which included figures of 4 for 29, 1 for 28, and crucial lower-order contributions of 28 and 33.Elliott's breakthrough came when Philippe edged a cut behind point, falling just 12 runs short of a century. Starc, who had earlier claimed 1 for 35 in the first innings, fell for 18 after top-edging a pull shot. Nathan Lyon also succumbed to the pull shot, miscuing to a fielder behind square leg. Elliott wrapped up the victory by clean bowling Jackson Bird.While the spotlight had been on Test hopefuls Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas, the post-match buzz centered around Starc's impressive display. NSW coach Greg Shipperd believes India will face a formidable challenge from Starc if conditions resemble those at the MCG."His pace, rhythm, and ability to engineer the sort of pace he was dealing with were exceptional," Shipperd said. "He changed the game when he decided to go short and really change the dynamic of the match. And in the second innings, we thought perhaps he'd done enough, but he kept coming. That's a good sign for Australia and troubles ahead, perhaps, on the right wicket for India."Victoria coach Chris Rogers praised his batting group's contributions in challenging conditions, highlighting the first-innings partnership between Campbell Kellaway and Peter Handscomb and the second-innings stand between Sam Harper and Tom Rogers as match-winning efforts in the face of Starc's barrage."For a 21-year-old kid [Kellaway] to get 50, along with Pete, that's right up there with some of the best batting I've seen him do," Rogers said. "That 100 was critical in us winning the game and having a first-innings lead.""And in the second innings, when they had us four for not many and Mitch Starc's got his tail up, we needed a couple of people to stand up, and two guys who were making names for themselves in Sammy Harper and Tommy Rogers played absolutely out of their skins, and that 130-run partnership was as good as I've seen from a partnership for a long time. Just absolutely fantastic."

South Australia's Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey has continued his impressive form with an unbeaten century against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield clash at Allan Border Field. Carey's 123 not out from 163 deliveries has put South Australia in a commanding position, leading by 358 runs with a declaration likely overnight.Carey, who is averaging 122 across four knocks this summer, has sent a strong message to the Indian team ahead of the upcoming Test series. Unfazed by the second new ball, Carey notched his second century of the summer by blasting paceman Mark Steketee for three consecutive boundaries in the final hour of play on Tuesday.Earlier, Carey brought up his half-century pulling Tom Whitney's short ball to the boundary. Whitney, who took five wickets in the first innings, backed up his performance with three key scalps early on day three before a minor heel injury prevented him from bowling further.South Australian skipper Nathan McSweeney also continued his excellent form, making 72 to push his case for a Test call-up. McSweeney's innings ended when he was caught at first slip by Usman Khawaja off Mitchell Swepson.In the spotlight since his omission from the Australia A squad, Test hopeful Matt Renshaw grabbed a headline moment late on day three with a brilliant catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Jake Lehmann from Marnus Labuschagne's part-time leg-spin. Labuschagne also took a catch above his head to send Liam Scott packing.With Carey and Jordan Buckingham unbeaten at the crease, South Australia is poised to declare overnight and set Queensland a challenging target.

New South Wales' hopes of victory in their Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria dwindled on day three as they were left chasing an improbable 383 runs with just four wickets in hand. Despite a valiant six-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc, the Blues were left reeling at 185 for 6 at stumps, still 197 runs adrift of their target.Sam Konstas, who had been touted as a potential Test debutant, failed to capitalize on his opportunity, scoring 43 before being dismissed by Todd Murphy. Steven Smith also fell cheaply, trapped lbw by Scott Boland for a duck.Josh Philippe provided some resistance with an unbeaten half-century, but the Blues' chase got off to a disastrous start as they lost four wickets for just 35 runs. Boland was the chief destroyer, claiming the scalps of Nic Maddinson, Smith, and Ollie Davies.Earlier in the day, Victoria had set the Blues a daunting target thanks to half-centuries from Sam Harper and Tom Rogers. Harper made 72 before holing out to wide fine leg, while Rogers scored 59 in his maiden first-class half-century.Starc was the standout performer for the Blues, finishing with figures of 6 for 81 from 17.5 overs. He dismissed both O'Neill and Murphy to complete his six-wicket haul, but the damage had already been done.With just one day remaining in the match, Victoria are firm favorites to secure victory. The Blues will need to produce a remarkable batting performance to pull off an unlikely win.