How three teammates lifted Shield debutant from ‘all over the shop’ first spell to four-fa

Fergus O’Neill reveals the trio of Victorians who edged him closer to his breakthrough Sheffield Shield wicket.

Fergus O’Neill reaped the rewards in his Sheffield Shield debut but he reveals it may have been a different story without the support of a few fellow Victorians.

Before taking his first four-day wicket for Victoria, bowler-batter O’Neill felt the pressure, like all do, in their inaugural spell for a new team.

The 22-year-old was not producing his trademark line and length as balls were going “all over the shock” on the Karen Rolton Oval pitch against South Australia in Adelaide.

Fergus O'Neill in action during his first spell for Victoria. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

O’Neill went for 17 runs from five overs in his first spell, which was ended with a Travis Head pull shot in the 22nd over.

“I probably battled a little bit at the start finding a bit of rhythm and bowling to players that you have been watching on TV since you were a bit younger,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said a few conversations with some experienced teammates in the 22 overs between his first and second spell helped him settle into the game.

“I think I was a little bit all over the shock at the start but I spoke a lot to Chief (Will Sutherland), Bolo (Scott Boland) and Pete (Peter Handscomb),” he said.

“They were just saying ‘keep bashing away, keep asking the right questions’ and I was lucky, really, to get Heady for my first wicket.”

Fergus O’Neill celebrates his first wicket of Travis Head with teammates. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Thanks to a few helpful words from teammates and O’Neill’s continued grit, he had the biggest wicket of the game in Head - a four-time Australian test centurion - within seconds and found his mojo at the level.

“Once I got that wicket, I got into a bit of a rhythm, felt a bit more comfortable, bowled a little bit better and got Nathan McSweeney, which was good to just keep contributing like big Chief and Bolo did all day,” he said.

O’Niell’s debut wicket came in the 10th ball of his second spell, caught by Handscomb at first slip from an attempted drive from Head.

The debut wicket turned out to be the first of four for O’Neill, who went on to claim Nathan McSweeney, Head again and then another test cricketer in Alex Carey.

O’Neill credited his fellow quicks Australian test cricket sensation Boland.

“Bolo doesn’t say a hell of a lot but when he speaks you listen,” he said.

“And I think he lets his cricket do the talking, he’s been playing for more than 10 years.

“To see him go well for the Aussies, he well and truly deserves it.

Will Sutherland and Scott Boland. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

“He’s been very good likewise with Mitch Perry and Will Sutherland.

“Just learning off those boys and how they go about their business, I think all the boys, we got a good young squad coming through.”

“I look at the boys in the sheds, big Cam McClure and Brodie Couch is going well in the Big Bash.

“And I think we are all feeding off each other and doing the right things off the field to be as good as we can be.”

O’Neill said he found the use of technology and understanding player’s strengths and weaknesses to be a “big difference” between premier cricket and state cricket, following the match.

The game ended in a draw between South Australia and Victoria with Henry Hunt and David Grant holding their stand at the end to finish the game at 7-207.

O'Neill, who plays premier cricket for Melbourne contributed with the bat, facing the third most number of balls in the first innings with 15 off 67 before showcasing his power in the second innings with a quick fire 23 off 18 balls featuring a six.

 Victoria will take on Western Australia in their next Sheffield Shield match on Monday, October 17.