Hughes injury adds to NSW blues against Victoria

An injury to run-machine Daniel Hughes added to a tough first day for winless New South Wales in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Albury.

NSW were bowled out for just 203 on a challenging Lavington Sports Ground surface on Thursday. At stumps, Victoria had reached 15 for 1 with Marcus Harris and nighwatchman Mitchell Perry both unbeaten on 7.

NSW fast bowler Trent Copeland, playing his first Shield match for nearly 12 months, dismissed Travis Dean for 1. Second-placed Victoria are jousting with Queensland for a spot in the Shield final with one further round to be played.

Prolific opener Hughes has been a stand-out for NSW in a disappointing season, but he limped off with a calf injury and retired hurt on 22.

He went for late afternoon scans and his participation in the remainder of the match, and next week's last match against South Australia, is in serious doubt. Hughes has easily been NSW's best performer this summer being the side's leading Shield run-getter, as well as hitting a record-equalling four one-day centuries.

NSW's day could barely have begun in worse fashion with young opener Blake Nikitaras caught behind without scoring off Perry from the third ball of the day.

It was the first of a four-wicket return for the consistent Perry, following on from an eight-wicket haul last week, the 22-year-old ending with 4 for 24 from 14.3 overs.

Fellow opening bowler Fergus O'Neill picked up 2 for 50 on a day when all bar one of the wickets to fall was caught in the slips or by wicketkeeper Sam Harper.

NSW slipped to 43 for 3 before lunch, and then 119 for 6, with all the recognised batters back in the pavilion. But Chris Green continued his recent lower-order form with the bat, hitting 52 at No.8 to help lift NSW past 200. Moises Henriques was next best with 29, while Ollie Davies made a promising 28 on debut.