Khawaja falls to Boland late as Victoria put clamps on Queensland
Boland picked up two key wickets including Khawaja leaving Queensland 106 for 5 at stumps after Victoria declared at 300 for 7 on day two
AAP
17-Nov-2023
Scott Boland celebrates the wicket of Usman Khawaja • Getty Images
Queensland 106 for 5 (Khawaja 31, Boland 2-25) trail Victoria 300 for 7 dec (Harris 73, Handscomb 66, Wildermuth 3-49) by 194 runs
Victoria's generous declaration has paid dividends as Queensland's top-order faltered and Usman Khawaja fell late during the Sheffield Shield clash at the MCG.
Victoria declared at 300 for 7 soon after lunch on day two. In reply, Queensland slumped to 42 for 3 before limping to 106 for 6 at stumps, with Jimmy Peirson and Jack Wildermuth both unbeaten.
Khawaja put up stiff resistance with 31 off 101 balls, but he was out five minutes before stumps when he edged paceman Scott Boland behind. The late scalp has put Queensland well and truly on the back foot in the bottom-of-the-table clash.
Boland was the standout bowler with figures of 2 for 25 from 17 overs, while Fergus O'Neill and Will Sutherland also tied down Queensland's batters.
Victoria resumed play on Friday at 201 for 4, but Sutherland only added two runs to his overnight score before shouldering arms to a Gurinder Sandhu delivery that jagged back and struck the top of off stump. Sam Harper fell for a 17-ball duck to reduce Victoria to 213 for 6.
Campbell Kellaway dug in to help steady the ship making 48 from 159 balls, but he was sent packing when he was also bowled after shouldering arms.
Mitchell Perry and O'Neill both made 33 not out in an important 61-run stand before Victoria declared. Wildermuth was the pick of the Queensland bowlers with 3 for 49 off 27 overs, while Liam Guthrie chipped in with 2 for 72.
Queensland's innings started poorly, with Matt Renshaw edging O'Neill to first slip. The Bulls went from 37 for 1 to 42 for 3 when Joe Burns and Bryce Street failed to capitalise on solid foundations.
Jack Clayton became the next batter to waste a steady start when he was trapped LBW by debutant spinner Doug Warren for 21.
"It's pretty much what dreams are made of," Warren said about his maiden first-class wicket at the MCG. "It's what everyone wants to do."
Warren was spurred on by a parochial supporter group in the crowd.
"They were carrying on like pork chops today," he said with a smile. "I've got a couple of hooligans from school, a couple of uni mates, and then the old man and a couple of his friends - they've had a couple in the bar.
"They're a bit intoxicated, but having a bit of fun."