Michael Neser marks his return with stunning new-ball spell
Jack Wildermuth's half-century had helped Queensland recover from a poor start
ESPNcricinfo staff
11-Mar-2021
Michael Neser was outstanding with the new ball • Getty Images
Queensland 9 for 262 (Wildermuth 66, Burns 47, Paris 4-50) beat Western Australia 143 (Whiteman 52, Neser 3-10, Kuhnemann 3-31) by 93 runs (DLS method)
Michael Neser marked his first outing for six weeks with a superb new-ball spell which put Queensland on course for victory over Western Australia.
Queensland had earlier staged a strong recovery with the bat after falling to 4 for 49 with a string of handy middle-order contributions led by Jack Wildermuth's run-a-ball 66 before rain reduced the second innings to 40 overs with a target of 237.
Neser, who had been sidelined by a hamstring injury since the BBL, took three wickets in an opening spell that read 5-3-2-3. An outswinger found the edge of Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green nicked a booming drive to slip and Josh Inglis played into his stumps to leave Western Australia 3 for 6.
The visitors were without captain Shaun Marsh, who had returned to Perth for personal reasons, and up to eight other first-choice players who are in home quarantine following Australia's tour of New Zealand.
After Hilton Cartwright was superbly caught at deep square, stand-in captain Sam Whiteman managed to forge a recovery alongside Nick Hobson but it was always a tall order. When Whiteman sliced to point it signaled the end of any chance Western Australia had of a late charge.
On an overcast day there was assistance for the pace bowlers throughout. Two wickets apiece for Matt Kelly and Joel Paris, including Marnus Labuschagne who did not appear thrilled with being given caught down the leg side, left Queensland in early trouble.
The presence of Joe Burns, who opens in first-class cricket, at No. 5 was a bonus and he began stablising the innings alongside Jimmy Peirson.
However, at 6 for 152 in the 36th over it appeared they may struggle to bat the 50 overs, but Neser played his first important hand of the day by accompanying Wildermuth in a seventh-wicket stand 73 before Mark Steketee's 23 off 12 balls further boosted them above 250.