Nicholson fights back to restrict South Australia

South Australia 6 for 263 (Ferguson 63, Harris 53, Nicholson 3-55) v New South Wales
Scorecard

Matthew Nicholson made a quick recovery from his horror last over against South Australia on Sunday by picking up three wickets to blunt the Redbacks' progress on the first day of the Pura Cup match at the SCG. On a day cut by 23.1 overs due to bad light, the visitors moved to 6 for 263 at stumps, with Daniel Harris and Callum Ferguson both registering half-centuries.

Nicholson leaked 20 runs in four balls when New South Wales lost the one-day match at the weekend, but he was back on line during an overcast day and was rewarded with the dismissals of Harris, Darren Lehmann and Cameron Borgas in a return of 3 for 55. Borgas, the South Australia hero on Sunday with three sixes in the final over, fell to a lifting ball that provided Brad Haddin with one of four catches while Nicholson also prevented Harris (53) and Lehmann from converting useful starts.

After opening with a 79-run stand between Harris and Nathan Adcock, South Australia slipped to 4 for 130 when a slashing Mark Cosgrove became Moises Henriques' maiden wicket on his first-class debut. However, Lehmann breezed to 41 from 48 balls and Ferguson collected five fours and two sixes in his 63 to steady the side. Shane Deitz finished unbeaten on 38 while Doug Bollinger and Stuart MacGill each picked up a wicket.