Sheffield Shield: Alex Carey responds to Josh Inglis hundred 

The day after the man who took his World Cup spot scored an impressive ton in Perth, Alex Carey answered back with a classy knock.

Alex Carey answered wicketkeeping rival Josh Inglis’ opening day century in style with a blistering performance of his own for South Australia on Wednesday.

The left-hander fell just short of a seventh first-class hundred, but continued the impressive run since his matchwinning 98 against New Zealand in March to post 90 off 85 balls against New South Wales at Cricket Central.

Carey withstood an in-form Nathan Lyon (3-45) and a brilliant two-wicket spell from Tanveer Sangha to hit 10 fours and four sixes in a 131-run partnership with Redbacks skipper Nathan McSweeney.

He scored fluently while McSweeney (55 off 164) found it harder, but holed out on the boundary as he attempted to loft a full Lyon delivery over long-on.

Alex Carey plays the reverse sweep as he topscored with 90 for South Australia against NSW in the Sheffield Shield. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images

The wicket sparked a horror collapse of 4-5 as Lyon finished the over with the wicket of Daniel Drew, before Ollie Davies ran out McSweeney from point after Ben Manenti called him through for an ambitious single.

Lyon bowled Manenti in the next over for his third wicket, to leave the Redbacks 7-227 in reply to NSW’s 366.

Batting at four, Travis Head sparred with Sangha but was caught at slip for 30 after he flashed at a well-flighted delivery outside his off stump.

It came after the young leg-spinner had Henry Hunt out after the Redbacks opener played a sweep straight into the hands of Sam Konstas at short leg.

Nathan Lyon searches for a lost ball after Travis Head belted a six over the rope at the Cricket Central headquarters in Sydney Olympic Park. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images

Lyon praised Carey’s performance, but said the Blues were happy with the fightback led by their two spinners.

“I’m pretty used to the way (Carey) goes about it … I think you’ve got to give him credit, he came out and played the way he does,” Lyon said after play.

“(Sangha) is a class leg-spinner, he’s very confident in his skill set. I think (bowling to Carey) was a good challenge for Tanveer, and probably a really good learning curve.

“I’ve been itching to get back to playing – it’s what I love doing. I feel like I’ve been training the house down, in a really good headspace.”

The Test off-spinner said he expected to face Victoria at the MCG on October 20 before likely missing the Blues’ third Shield game in Adelaide as he prepared for the India series.

NESER’S TEST APPEAL

Queensland fast bowler Michael Neser declared his clear desire to be part of Australia’s Test series against India after an opening day five-wicket haul in the Sheffield Shield.

Neser, 34, took wickets with the opening two balls of the match against Western Australia at the WACA, and finished with 5-68 having after a cricket-free winter spent in the gym “getting stronger” ahead of another push to play Test cricket.

He also took a brilliant catch on the boundary rope at fine leg to hand Marnus Labuschagne his second wicket on day two, taking a skied hook shot while airborne before tossing the ball inside play and successfully diving after it for the final wicket of Brody Couch.

Queensland lost Matt Renshaw for six, but Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne had taken them to 1-55 midway through the second session in reply to WA’s 465.

Khawaja (31) and Labuschagne (77) were eventually dismissed, with the Bulls finishing the day at 3-185.

Australia’s first-choice fast bowling attack of captain Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood played seven Tests in a row last summer, against Pakistan, the West Indies and New Zealand, shutting the door on hopefuls including Neser and even Scott Boland.

Neser subsequently lost his Cricket Australia contract, but the veteran seamer said he was not deterred from getting in the best shape possible to push his case.

“I think every bowler in the country would say that they’ve got their eye on that (India series),” Neser said after the opening day.

Michael Neser of Queensland appeals for one of his five wickets. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

“There’s not much you can do apart from putting performances on the board. It’s handy that I just (got five wickets) first game.

“Hopefully I can carry this momentum throughout the season.”

A regular in county cricket in England during the Australian winter, Neser suffered a calf injury while at Hampshire, shortening his overseas stint which he said was a “blessing in disguise”.

“I had a shorter season in the UK … I just thought it would be the best thing for the body,” Neser said.

“And unfortunately, I did my calf. But to be honest, it was probably a blessing in disguise.

“I didn’t play much cricket on the off season, and just got to go in the gym and get strong again.

“I played a lot of back-to-back seasons over in county cricket, and then we had the Ashes the previous year, so I played a lot of cricket in probably 24 months.

“To have that little stint at home with the family kind of refreshed me a bit, and I’m ready to go now.”

Neser played the most recent of his two Tests against the West Indies in Adelaide almost two years ago, and Boland, who was rested from the opening round of Shield matches, remains next-in-line, pending more big hauls from the Queensland quick.

TASSIE VETERANS STEADY SHIP

An unbeaten 50 from Tasmania captain Jordan Silk has prevented Victoria dominating the visitors at the Junction Oval after the Tigers had slumped to 4-143.

Silk and Beau Webster (30 not out) batted for 90 minutes together to reach stumps at 4-201 after the Vics had declared at 9-428 on the second morning.

Mitch Perry finished with 58 not out, while Fergus O’Neill (36) and Todd Murphy (20) made handy contributions to put the home side in the box seat before the declaration.

Tassie openers Jake Weatherald and Caleb Jewell made a steady start, but Jewell was caught behind off Perry for 32 before Charlie Wakim and Weatherald fell on consecutive balls 12 overs later.

It took a sharp catch at bat-pad by Ashley Chandrasinghe to remove Weatherald, who flicked a Todd Murphy delivery off his pads but was sent on his way for 28 in only his second Shield game for Tasmania.

Murphy bowled 21 of Victoria’s 71 overs for tidy figures of 1-54, as he tries this summer to hold off WA’s Corey Rocchiccioli as the back-up finger spinning option to Nathan Lyon.