Stubborn Nic Maddinson leads Bushrangers to challenging first-innings total in Adelaide
South Australia fought back to bowl Victoria out on day one of the Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval as it battles to keep its slim final hopes alive.
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South Australia wore down Victoria and prolific Nic Maddinson as a first day battle of wills unfolded in a high stakes contest at Adelaide Oval.
Maddinson (66) and Marcus Harris (59) returned from Australia A duty to put on a commanding 93-run, second-wicket stand before Daniel Worrall (4/56), Joe Mennie (4/54) and Wes Agar (2/63) hit back in a game both sides must win to make the Sheffield Shield final.
Victoria suffered a 5/53 collapse from Harris’ exit to fold for 292. Keeper Sam Harper (62) was impressive with a third, first-class half-century on return from a sickening concussion sustained while batting for Melbourne Renegades against Hobart Hurricanes on January 21.
Mennie snapped Peter Siddle’s (40) invaluable 90-run, seventh-wicket stand with Harper following a superb diving catch from skipper Travis Head before stumps.
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Maddinson rode his luck early, mistiming pull shots before finding range and accelerating. Former Test left-hander Maddinson twice pulled Chadd Sayers into the western stand during the 33rd over. Maddinson’s strokeplay was easy on the eye in an otherwise dour struggle at the scene of his 2016 Test debut against South Africa.
Maddinson had struck seven well placed boundaries before miscuing a pull off Worrall. Fine-leg Mennie lost his footing before taking a catch at ground level in a key blow for the Redbacks. Maddinson has 714 runs this season at average of 89, 35 behind Tom Cooper.
Agar removed openers Travis Dean (17) and Harris to join Sayers on 30 wickets behind Queensland’s Cameron Gannon with 31. Worrall forced errant shots from Will Sutherland (3) and Maddinson with quality swing bowling.