Joe Mennies leads late afternoon fightback for South Australia against New South Wales
A flurry of wickets late in the day from recalled paceman Joe Mennie has South Australia right in the hunt after day one of its first-class match against New South Wales.
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Overlooked one game then leading light the next – South Australian stalwart Joe Mennie refused to let New South Wales off the chain in Bankstown.
Mennie took three wickets before tea then removed topscorer Daniel Hughes (103) after the break as South Australia kept the Blues to 9-294 at stumps on the opening day.
Indomitable Chadd Sayers (3-56) denied fourth-gamer Matthew Gilkes (83) a maiden first class century then bowled Blues skipper Peter Nevill (26) and Trent Copeland (7).
The visitors’ four-wicket fightback in the final session was critical in a game they must win to overhaul second-ranked Queensland.
Gilkes, recalled with Moises Henriques and Kurtis Patterson on Australia A duty against England Lions, sent a half-volley for Weatherald’s second catch at gully.
Mennie got the initial breakthrough when Nick Larkin (22) pulled the former Test seamer to Will Bosisto at square leg.
Confronted with a relatively flat Bankstown strip, Mennie was forced to dig deep into bag of tricks to strike against the Blues.
Daniel Solway (27) and opener Hughes compiled a formidable 73-run second wicket stand when Mennie uprooted the No. 3’s off-stump.
Mennie, delivering from wide of the crease, managed to straighten the trajectory late to knock over Solway.
Sangha replicated Solway’s exit, beaten by an immaculate ball that swung and then held its line.
Having posted his first ton of the season, Hughes drove uppishly to Weatherald for Mennie’s fourth wicket and was frustrated at leaving runs in the middle.
Mennie was squeezed out of SA’s side that defeated Western Australia last week in Adelaide by Daniel Worrall’s return, but showed the guile that has him 291 first-class wickets at 26.
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The Redbacks dropped left-armer Nick Winter to include leg-spinner Lloyd Pope (0/62) despite the part-time spin options of skipper Travis Head and Bosisto.
Sayers leads the competition wicket-tally with 29 ahead of teammate Wes Agar (0/42) and Jackson Bird on 28.