Sangha and Edwards ensure against another NSW collapse

In their first Sheffield Shield appearances at the SCG, Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards steadied New South Wales after they had threatened to let a promising position slip away on the opening day against Tasmania.

Daniel Hughes and Kurtis Patterson carried the Blues to 1 for 137 before four wickets fell for 44 either side of tea to leave Tasmania sensing the chance to run through them. Sangha, though, had other ideas and played elegantly for his first Shield half-century, which came off 77 balls, and was followed by a dismissive pulled six off Jackson Bird.

He and Edwards, who reached his maiden first-class fifty off 71 balls in the final over of the day, an innings that also included a pulled six, added an unbeaten 104 for the sixth wicket to carry New South Wales to 5 for 285 at stumps.

Earlier it had been steady going for the top order on a sluggish SCG surface which saw Tasmania captain George Bailey posting drive men on both sides of the wicket early in the second session. Hughes and Patterson both had to work hard for their runs against a persevering attack but the pair were well set for substantial scores when they departed within three overs of each other.

Patterson continued his habit of not converting good innings into centuries when he was caught at gully and Hughes was trapped lbw by Bird playing across a full delivery. Moises Henriques followed when he skied Beau Webster to midwicket in an attempt to break the shackles being imposed and when Peter Nevill was caught behind by Test captain Tim Paine the Blues were wobbling on 5 for 181.

However, their position was far healthier by the close with Sangha in with the chance of being the team's first Shield century-maker of the season.