Chadd Sayers races past 250 first class wickets with five-wicket haul against New South Wales as Redbacks aim to save
UNBEATEN skipper Jake Lehmann helped secure a tense Sheffield Shield draw for the Redbacks as wickets tumbled around him.
CHADD Sayers raced past 250 first-class wickets and back into Test contention as South Australia survived a close shave against New South Wales in Adelaide.
The Redbacks (6-103) endured a 44.3 over grilling — propped up by skipper Jake Lehmann’s unbeaten 33 (off 126 balls) — as wickets tumbled in a tense Sheffield Shield draw.
Sean Abbott (3/29) and Trent Copeland (3/45) dismantled the Redbacks top order leaving Lehmann to hold firm with unconquered Joe Mennie (12).
Lehmann showed his men how to knuckle down, backing up a 2018 JLT Cup average of 50 and 61 in the first dig by denying the Blues victory.
Captaincy brings out the best in Lehmann, leading SA for the first time at Shield level and emulating father Darren with conviction. Lehmann has six tons in his three-year, first-class career but this knock carried equal significance, expertly farming the strike with the tail.
“Both sides bowled pretty well. The captain and Joe Mennie showed some resilience,” said Sayers.
The Redbacks lost openers Jake Weatherald (3) and No. 3 Callum Ferguson (3) to trail the Blues by 233 runs at tea. Copeland had bagged both openers claiming Conor McInerney (13) after tea. Having picked up Ferguson, Abbott went through Tom Cooper (6) and Harry Nielsen (5). The Blues were on the scent of an unlikely victory with the host 5-41 in the 16th over.
Lehmann, leading in Travis Head’s absence, stemmed the carnage with all-rounder Cam Valente (24) before finding an ally in Mennie. Former Test paceman Mennie enjoyed a brilliant match taking 5/39 in NSW’s first innings 246.
Sayers, 31, reinforced his baggy green credentials finishing with 5/101 in the Blues second innings 8 (dec)/279.
Former Test keeper Peter Nevill, who put on a 50-run, sixth-wicket stand with Jack Edwards, top scored with an unbeaten 72.
Sayers, in his first-class comeback from knee surgery, bowled Abbott (29) and trapped Nick Larkin in front (39) before combining with keeper Nielsen to remove debutant Edwards (30). Opener Daniel Hughes was Sayers’ 250th first-class scalp on Thursday followed by Kurtis Patterson.
Sayers, now with 255 wickets in 62 matches, bowled an immaculate line with late movement in overcast conditions. It was another advertisement for the impact the swingman could have in next winter’s Ashes series against England.
Sayers’ 25-over, final day effort was impressive backing up from (1/55) in 21 first innings overs. The knee cleaned up after Sayers’ Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg last March was given a thorough test.
“It’s not too bad, not 100 per cent but when are you playing first-class cricket? I feel pretty good, do the recovery, get ready to play against Queensland on Thursday. I am cherry ripe,” said Sayers.
“There was some good stuff in there. I am good for the run. In periods I challenged the batsmen a fair bit and got the rewards in the second innings but at times I got hit for a few boundaries which was disappointing.”
Mitchell Starc’s tender ankle and managed returns of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood from back injuries means there could be scope for a Sayers Test recall this summer. Jackson Bird’s 10-wicket match haul for Tasmania against Queensland at the Gabba underlined the depth in Australia’s pace stocks.
“I will let the results take care of themselves. Joe Mennie took a five-for as well. We can all push each other and for higher honours as well,” said Sayers.