Abbott stars on absorbing day at the MCG
Alex Malcolm reports
Sean Abbott put his name in the queue of back-up Test quicks with an outstanding spell while Mitchell Starc won a key battle over Marcus Harris that could shape Australia's side as New South Wales took the ascendency against Victoria on the opening day at the MCG.
In front of a lively Sunday crowd of around 1800, Abbott took four wickets and arguably deserved more on the back of some high-quality sustained fast bowling across the day, including an incredible spell after tea that yielded 3 for 0 in 15 balls and the swung the momentum NSW's way.
Wrapping up for the day
With play now finished at Allan Border Field - where Queensland have fought back strongly - and rain currently falling at the WACA, I'm going to wrap up the blog for today. We'll be back tomorrow where eyes, again, will be on the MCG as he get Sam Konstas vs Scott Boland. See you then!
Webster falls cheaply
Jake Doran has struck a brisk fifty at the WACA but Beau Webster has fallen cheaply to Matt Kelly to keep Western Australia ahead in the game.
Century for Hunt
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Full on collapse at the MCG!
Victoria are folding during the final session at the MCG. Sean Abbott has been magnificent - he claimed his fourth wicket when Will Sutherland was caught behind shortly after being dropped at slip - and Nathan Lyon has had Sam Elliott taken at short leg. There was an ovation for Tom Rogers when he got off the mark from the 37th ball be faced. It's been a superb day of cricket
New South Wales strike back
New South Wales have bowled superbly today, often without luck. Since tea they have made inroads, though. Jackson Bird found Campbell Kellaway's outside edge to end an excellent innings and moments ago Sean Abbott claimed a much-deserved second wicket when Peter Handscomb edged a drive to Steven Smith at second slip. Tom Rogers is so far scoreless off 25 balls.
UPDATE:
And now Sam Harper had edged Sean Abbott to third slip. Day looking a bit different
Debutant hits back for Queensland
Tom Whitney is making a mark on his first-class debut to lift Queensland. He claimed his maiden wicket when Nathan McSweeney was caught behind - a sharp take by Jimmy Peirson - then in his next over speared a full delivery through Daniel Drew
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Crowd getting into it at the G
Lunch at the WACA
Here's Tristan from the WACA
The Western Australia quicks were excited about bowling first on a green WACA pitch, but offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli stole the show with the wickets of Jake Weatherald and captain Jordan Silk before lunch on day one.
After a draw between WA and Queensland, where the pitch flattened as the match wore on, this surface was notably greener but openers Weatherald and Caleb Jewell had few troubles against the new ball.
Entering the attack in the 12th over, Rocchiccioli has caused a lot of problems, conjuring sharp turn and trademark bounce. He has 2 for 13 from nine overs.
Quick Brody Couch, recruited from Victoria, was lively and had the opening breakthrough of Jewell. He has been clocked at 143kph.
Allrounder Aaron Hardie has marked his Shield season debut with an impressive initial three-over burst. He produced sharp bounce to cause problems for Jewell. Mitchell Marsh is available to bowl, but has yet to come into the attack.
Inclement conditions are not associated with cricket in Perth, but rain is forecast to hit around tea.
Tea at Allan Border Field
It's been hard work for the Queensland bowlers after South Australia were put into bat. Henry Hunt has given the visitors an excellent foundation for a strong first innings. Michael Neser has the one wicket to fall after he found the inside edge of Conor McInerney to break a century opening stand
Tea at the MCG
What a compelling session of cricket that was. New South Wales will wonder how they only have one wicket to show for it. Huge credit to Campbell Kellaway, who counterattacked against Nathan Lyon including a handsome straight six, and Peter Handscomb for finding a way through. Can they take advantage in the final session?
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Abbott's superb spell
Here's Alex at the MCG
For all the excitement about Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland letting rip at the MCG, Sean Abbott's return to first-class cricket has been eye-catching. He was not at his best on Australia's limited overs tour of the UK but one issue Abbott is often contending with is he has one of the highest bowling workloads of any Australian fast bowler. He is so durable that he bowls a lot and that can wear him down over time without sufficient rest. But he looks fresh here at the MCG. His pace is up and he has been relentless over the first three hours of the day. He has caused all sorts of problems to Victoria's left-handers, pitching on the stumps and nipping across them. He has also beaten Peter Handscomb on the inside and the outside edge. He is unfortunate not to have more than one wicket so far. Boland and Michael Neser are ahead of him in the Test fast bowling queue but if Australia's depth is tested at all, Abbott would be an excellent option.
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Century stand for South Australia
Conor McInerney and Henry Hunt have brought up a century opening stand at Allan Border Field to lay an excellent base for South Australia. Hunt was mentioned in terms of future national selection after a promising start to his career but has had two leaner seasons which he is now looking to bounce back from.
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Hardie has the ball
After some suggestions Aaron Hardie would play as a batter-only, is is available to bowl for Western Australia and is in his first spell at the WACA. He thought he had a wicket, too, but Caleb Jewell survived a big appeal for caught behind. Overall, it's been a positive start from the Tasmania openers on a pitch that Tristan says is "very green." There is also a forecast of some rain later.
Australia A vs India A
There is a fascinating couple of matches starting at the end of this month with Australia A facing India A, although with the Pakistan ODI series going on at the same time it will stretch the depth of some of the Shield teams.
It's expected that the Australia Test squad will be named between the two games. Here's a reminder of the Australia names announced last week. And this what we expect the India A squad to look like.
From the Australian point of view, the name of everyone's lips is Sam Konstas.
"The work that Sam Konstas did in the first Shield game ... has given him an opportunity within the Australia A set-up and to go about his business as well," head coach Andrew McDonald told the ABC yesterday. "We've got a bit of an eye to the future in some of the [Australia A] selections, and a bit of an eye to here and now.
"It's not a bat-off, but all things will be taken into consideration around the final decision that we make. We've got some left-handed options, some right-handed options. We've got some guys that have piled on runs over a period of time, so it's what we reward at that point in time. But they're all in the conversation at the moment."
Starc gets Harris!
Mitchell Starc is on the board at the MCG shortly after lunch and it's Test contender Marcus Harris he has removed. Harris worked hard to get through the opening session but couldn't add to his tally after the break when he gloved a short ball from Starc down the leg side to the keeper.
Here's Alex from the MCG
Mitchell Starc has struck a blow for New South Wales and for Marcus Harris' hopes of a Test recall after dismissing the left-hander for 26 in a hostile spell of fast bowling. Harris had fought very hard to survive the first session on an MCG pitch offering swing, seam and extra bounce. Late in the first session Starc hit Harris on the underside of his left arm to leave an egg-like bruise. Starc opened up after lunch and had Harris under pressure again. He beat him on the inside edge with a ball that just missed off stump. Starc finally got Harris caught down the leg side. Harris might question his luck to be out in that fashion but Starc deserves credit as the extra pace and bounce meant he wasn't in control of the leg glance.
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WA win the toss and bowl
In terms of national interest, Mitchell Marsh is expected to bowl in this round of matches.
"It's been a slow build. I've been really well looked after by Cricket Australia, Ronnie [Australia coach Andrew McDonald] and Patty [Pat Cummins], with our planning and when I bowl.I love bowling, so I'm looking forward to bowling for Western Australia this week and build from there."
Lunch at Allan Border Field
South Australia 66 for 0 vs Queensland
A steady morning from South Australia's openers after they were put into bat. Henry Hunt and Connor McInerney have seen through the opening session on what appears a fairly docile surface. Michael Neser had one big shout for lbw against McInerney turned down which he seemed convinced was out. Tom Whitney, a former Australia Under-19, is making his first-class debut and sent down a three-over opening spell.
Lunch at the MCG
Victoria 63 for 1 vs New South Wales
Marcus Harris has batted through the opening session against some probing bowling. In the final minutes before lunch he took a painful blow on his left arm when trying to leave a ball from Mitchell Starc. Some swelling was quickly visible and he had it strapped up for resuming. It could be a big day for Harris: if he follows up his runs in the first round with more here, a Test recall may be a step closer.
Good spell from Abbott
Sean Abbott has produced a probing spell during the morning session at the MCG. He claimed the first wicket to fall when found the end of Ashley Chandrasinghe and has troubled both Marcus Harris and Campbell Kellaway on occasions. There is much talk about the reserves of pace bowlers Australia may need this summer. Last time India toured in 2020-21, Abbott was part of the Test squad but that baggy green has remained elusive. Scott Boland and Michael Neser will likely be the first in line should replacements be needed, but with injury doubts over Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson it is not beyond the realms that Abbott can get himself back into the mix. He will, though, likely miss the next two rounds of Sheffield Shield as he's part of Australia's ODI squad to face Pakistan and will probably be involved in the T20 series as well.
What about Cummins and Hazlewood?
While Mitchell Starc is in action, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood still await their first games of the season. Both are likely to feature in the One-Day Cup game in Melbourne on October 25. Hazlewood may play the third round of Shield which overlaps with the start of the Pakistan ODI series, for which he's in the squad. Cummins, meanwhile, is only expected to play white-ball cricket before the India series. Cummins has previously spoken about how he feels 50-over games can be a decent build towards Tests. However, there is also an acceptance that it may be difficult for the quicks to play all the Tests this season.
Meanwhile, at the MCG, Starc's first spell is done: 5-1-12-0. He found some movement but Marcus Harris (and Ashley Chandrasinghe) came through the challenge. There's also been early spin introduced with Nathan Lyon bowling the 10th over.
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Watch: Smith, Green and selection chat
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Queensland bowl in Brisbane
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New South Wales bowl first at MCG
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Welcome to the Sheffield Shield
Hello everyone and welcome to our coverage of the second round of the Sheffield Shield. It's a huge few days of domestic cricket ahead with a number of Australia's Test stars back in action and plenty of selection chat ahead of the India Test series. We'll keep you up to date with the main developments during the day. We have Alex Malcolm at the MCG for Victoria vs New South Wales and Tristan Lavalette at the WACA later for Western Australia vs Tasmania. Feel free to get in touch with me (Andrew McGlashan) via X/Twitter @andymcg_cricket.
You can find the scorecards here (scroll below this pinned post for the latest):
Victoria vs New South Wales
Queensland vs South Australia
Western Australia vs Tasmania
Victoria vs New South Wales
Queensland vs South Australia
Western Australia vs Tasmania
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