Second-game swingman bags 10 wickets to give NSW the Winter blues

LAST season Nick Winter was working in the SACA media department questioning whether he would ever get a crack at Sheffield Shield cricket. Now he is the toast of South Australia after a dream start to his first-class career.

A WINTER’S TALE: Nick Winter celebrates one of his 10 wickets in the Sheffield Shield match against NSW at the SCG. Picture: Craig Golding (AAP).

LAST season Nick Winter was working in the SACA media department questioning whether he would ever get a crack at Sheffield Shield cricket.

Now he is the toast of South Australia — and eyeing even greater honours — after a dream start to his first-class career.

The likeable left-arm swing king, who moved to Adelaide from Canberra five years ago to pursue his first-class ambitions, has followed his five-wicket haul in his debut game against Victoria last week with 10 wickets for the match against New South Wales at the SCG.

The 24-year-old’s game-defining 5/61 yesterday followed his 5/48 in the first innings and put the Redbacks on the verge of their second Shield win of the season, which would keep their slim finals hopes alive.

SA (3/146) will enter the final day’s play today needing just 43 runs with seven wickets in hand to upset the Blues.

Winter’s 15 wickets in his first two Shield matches puts him third in the SA record books.

Only Test men George Giffen (20 wickets in 1892/93) and David Sincock (18 wickets in 1960/61-1961/62) have taken more wickets for SA in their first two Shield matches.

In four innings, Winter has three five-wicket hauls.

“I was just amazed to get an opportunity to play for SA after waiting so long and I said to my mum I just wanted to get one wicket, so to get five on debut was really special,’’ said Winter, who regained a SACA contract this season after losing it the previous year following a battle with side strains.

“Being put in the same company as those two (Giffen and Sincock) is amazing but everything has happened so fast in the past week or so for me that it hasn’t really sunk in.

“I was standing at fine leg while ‘Franky’ (Daniel Worrall) was bowling (yesterday) and looking at the SCG in the background and I had a little bit of a tingle thinking I’d just come away with a 10-for and that every time I walk into the rooms now I will be able to see my name on the honours board, so it is really special.’’

Jamie Siddons’ team is chasing a victory target of just 189 after Winter and bowling sidekick Worrall (4/55) yesterday skittled NSW for just 213 after the Redbacks posted a 25-run first-innings lead.

The Blues crumbled in the middle session from 3/145 to be all out for 213, losing their last seven wickets for just 68.

SA made big inroads into the tricky total in the final session with openers Jake Weatherald (56) and John Dalton (29) putting on 63 for the first wicket before acting captain Callum

Ferguson, returning from a strained hamstring, made an unbeaten 35.

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