Steve Smith made 50 as Matt Short, Nathan McSweeney made big runs in losing sides

There were much needed runs for plenty and a big statement from a Test smokey on an action-packed day of one-day games around the country.

Steve Smith defied a blow to the groin to make a much-needed half-century for himself and NSW in a victorious cricketing return for Pat Cummins’s as Victorian slugger Matt Short showed why he’s likely to be opening for Australia at the MCG in November.

Short, playing his first match since being sidelined by a groin injury during Australia’s white-ball tour of the UK last month, blasted a team-high 80 off just 58 balls to enhance his standing as the ODI replacement at the top of the order for David Warner.

He swatted five four and five sixes but was the lone resistance for the home team at the Junction Oval, after NSW posted a monster 8-336 with Smith getting 56 of his team’s total, a much better haul than his three runs in two innings in this week’s Sheffield Shield clash, and Matthew Gilkes 74 off just 42 balls with four sixes

Matt Short went on the attack at the Junction Oval (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The real hero for NSW, however, was first-gamer Charlie Anderson who was given a late-call up when Australian star Josh Hazlewood pulled out of what was meant to be the start of his preparation for the Indian Test series, with illness.

Anderson, 19, and wearing batting dynamo Sam Konstas’ one-day shirt snared 3-37 including the big wickets of Short and Glenn Maxwell, who made a short-lived 21, with two sixes, to help roll Victoria for 195 and record the 140-run victory.

Test captain Pat Cummins, playing his first game of cricket since July, got through the game unscathed, finishing with figures of 1-36 from seven overs before he joins the ODI squad for the series against Pakistan

Veteran seamer Peter Siddle also turned back the clock, snaring 5-49 for the Vics, including the scalp of Smith.

Steve Smith on the ground after he was struck by a delivery from Peter Siddle (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

While Short went bit at the Junction Oval, his nominal opening partner for that ODI against Pakistan on November 4, Jake Fraser-McGurk, flopped in his start to the domestic summer, making just two for South Australia as his state captain, Nathan Sweeney, enhanced his growing case for an Australian call-up by making 138 in a losing effort against Queensland.

Coming in with his team reeling at 2-9, McSweeney, whacked 16 fours and three sixes in his 131-ball innings, making more than half of his team’s meagre total of 218 at Allan Border Oval as his bumper domestic season continues.

McSweeney, who will captain an Australia A side to play India A across two four day matches next month, has 291 runs at an average of 97 with an unbeaten century and two fifties through the opening two rounds of the Sheffield Shield competition.

The 25-year-old’s reputation is growing and he’s even been touted as a potential future Australian captain before he’s even played at international level.

Earlier this week, McSweeney said he was willing to bat anywhere to get a crack in the Test team, with a spot open at the top of the order, after Smith’s move back to No.4, and in the middle with Cameron Green to miss the Indian series through injury.

“I guess batting three, I prepare with the new ball at training (already),” he said on Thursday.

Nathan McSweeney celebrates 100 runs for South Australia against Queensland (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

“In the worst case you can be out there the second ball of the game, so it’s probably not too dissimilar.

“I’d bat anywhere for Australia, obviously.

“As a kid growing up you want to play for Australia and get that baggy green, so to have people talking like that... I’m really lucky.

“I’ve been able to be pretty consistent for South Australia the past couple seasons, I feel like my game is getting better.”

Queensland keeper Jimmy Pierson made his maiden List A hundred for Queensland, reaching 100 not out as Test hopeful Matt Renshaw finally got in the runs after some lean Shield innings with an unbeaten 72 off 54 balls, including a six and a four off the final two balls to secure the easy win.

Chasing SA’s meagre total, after Liam Guthrie took 4-18, Queensland finished 1-223, denying Marnus Labuschagne a bat,. as they reeled in the target in the 33rd over

Originally published as Steve Smith made 50 as Matt Short, Nathan McSweeney made big runs in losing sides