Tigers walk away winners after skittling NSW with the help of destroyer Jackson Bird
Tasmania has completed its demolition job of NSW, securing its third biggest Sheffield Shield win in terms of runs in history at Blundstone Arena. Read the full match report >>
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TASMANIAN skipper Matthew Wade believes the side’s comprehensive dismantling of NSW sends a warning around the rest of the country for next season.
The Tigers landed their first Sheffield Shield victory of the summer on day three at Blundstone Arena by a mammoth 298 runs, the third biggest in terms of runs in their history.
It was set up by an incredible bowling performance from Jackson Bird (7-18) on Sunday morning which saw the Blues routed for 32 — the fourth lowest total in Shield history.
Wade was also full of praise for new ball partner in crime Peter Siddle, who was unrelenting in the first innings and got his rewards in the second with 3-31 as the visitors were bowled out for 194.
Describing it as “a pleasure to watch” Bird run riot, Wade said the recruitment of Siddle in the off-season was specifically to thrive in conditions in Hobart.
“It’s nice to get a win, feels like it’s been a while,” Wade said.
“Adelaide was hard cricket, our attack has been probably made to suit our wicket a little bit more than obviously the wickets that we had in the hub in Adelaide.
“It was nice to get to Bellerive and watch ‘Sidds’ and Jackson do what they’ve done for a very long time.
“Sidds was recruited to play on our wicket. He’s the kind of bowler that we’d love to have here with a bit of grass on the wicket, he is going to nip it a bit.
“It was exciting to see those two go about their work for the future. Hopefully COVID doesn’t get us again and we don’t have to do the whole bubble thing and we can play five home games here.
“I think those guys are going to do some damage if we can get enough runs on the board, they’re going to defend it pretty quickly and add Riley [Meredith] into the mix as well when he gets back and then that attack starts looking really, really strong.”
The effort of the Tigers to reach 333 after being sent in also proved telling, with Tim Paine (87), Wade (57) and Bird (54) all making vital contributions.
In contrast the only Blue to score a half century was tailender Trent Copeland, who provided a brisk 58 from 60 balls to briefly delay defeat.
“Very humbling loss that one. It’s quite difficult to find many positives about our batting performances,” NSW captain Peter Nevill said.
“I thought out bowlers did a great job, obviously losing Sean Abbott early in the game and going a bowler down so proud of their efforts.
“But that batting performance in both innings not good enough.”
INITIAL REPORT: TASMANIA has completed its demolition job of NSW, securing its third biggest Sheffield Shield win in terms of runs in history at Blundstone Arena.
The Tigers finished their home season with a 298 run thumping of the Blues, wrapping up the contest with four sessions remaining after bowling out the visitors for 194 in their second innings on day three.
Only victories in the 2006-07 Shield final (421 runs), also against NSW, and a 313 run romp against South Australia in 2014-15 have been larger for the home state.
Sunday’s hero and first innings destroyer Jackson Bird – who snared career best figures of 7-18 – added one more scalp to his total, with new ball partner in crime Peter Siddle (3-31) starting the rot inside the first hour.
Siddle bowled Daniel Hughes in the eighth over of the morning after the left hander failed to offer a shot only to watch the ball cannon into his middle stump, and sent Nick Larkin back to the sheds in his next over when he feathered a catch behind to Tim Paine.
Sam Rainbird bagged a double of his own to reduce NSW to 4-61 at lunch, having Kurtis Patterson caught behind and Jason Sangha caught at point.
Siddle wasted little time after lunch getting back into the action when Daniel Solway also edged a lifter to Jake Doran at gully and any chance the Blues had of pushing the match into a final day evaporated when skipper Peter Nevill fell to young spinner Jarrod Freeman.
Nevill edged a ball which bounced off Paine’s gloves straight to Beau Webster at slip.
Mitch Starc (36) and Trent Copeland (58) delayed the inevitable with an entertaining 60-run stand for the seventh wicket – the visitor’s highest partnership of the match – before Starc was bowled swinging across the line and after bringing up his side’s only half century of the game Copeland was the last wicket to fall, top edging a hook from Beau Webster to fine leg.
Bird is the word for history making spell
March 21, 2.38pm
AUSTRALIAN cricket heavyweight NSW has been consigned to a historic Sheffield Shield low after Tasmanian seamer Jackson Bird produced an individual performance for the ages.
In the space of two hours the former Test quick cracked his highest first-class score (54) to help lift the Tigers to 333, before unleashing a devastating spell of 7-18 in 10 overs either side of lunch on day two at Blundstone Arena.
Bird’s heroics, which started by reducing the Blues to 3-0 after 14 balls and saw him finish with career best figures, routed the visitors for an astonishing 32 – the fourth lowest score in Shield history.
It was also the first time the state has failed to reach 50, although the shell shocked side was a man down with the unavailability of national all-rounder Sean Abbott, who did not bat after splitting the webbing in his right hand on day one.
After not enforcing the follow-on the hosts were bowled out in the last over of the day for 191, leaving NSW two full days to pull off what will be the second biggest run chase in the competition’s history of 493.
“Pretty funny day really, I suppose I got a chance this morning to get my confidence up with the bat, me and ‘Painey’ had a crucial partnership,” said Bird, who among his destruction became the 19th bowler in Shield history to take 300 wickets and overtook Queensland great Craig McDermott (303) and former Tiger Colin Miller (304).
“It was good to get a few out of the middle and it was just one of those days where the ball felt like it was coming out nicely from ball one and it was nipping just enough and zipping just enough.
“I felt today was just around the corner … I haven’t got a real big bag of wickets like that for a while but I feel I have been bowling well and doing everything consistently.
“I suppose it was just a matter of time I would have a day like today … it was a crazy day’s cricket.”
Blues coach Phil Jaques said the playing group was stung from the dismal batting display, which lasted less than 20 overs.
However having bounced back to bowl out the Tigers for under 200 in the second innings, and drawing on a clash in Adelaide earlier before Christmas where they were skittled for 64 only to pile on 6-522 declared and eventually win, Jaques was not writing off another miracle.
“It wasn’t our finest hour with the bat, there is no two ways about it and no mincing words,” Jaques said.
“I know the players are hurting in there at the moment, they are really hurting about their batting performance and they are going to want to do something about it in the second innings.
“To get bowled out for 32 is very disappointing but the resilience of the bowlers to be able to come back and back up after only a 20 over break and be able to bowl out Tasmania was one of the positives out of the day.
“We won from a similar position earlier in the year and the belief is still high in the change rooms.”
EARLIER:
A RAMPANT Jackson Bird has produced one of the greatest Sheffield Shield bowling spells ever seen at Blundstone Arena to shatter powerhouse NSW.
The Tasmanian spearhead took astonishing figures of 7-18 from 10 overs as the Blues were skittled for 32 – their lowest ever score and the fourth lowest in the history of the competition.
In the process Bird became the 19th bowler to take 300 wickets, and by the time the carnage was completed he had moved past Craig McDermott (303) and Colin Miller (304).
With Sean Abbott (split webbing) unable to bat, NSW was left red faced as it conceded a 301-run lead to the hosts just 40 minutes after lunch on day two.
Having only just changed clothes from crunching the highest score of his first class career with a run-a-ball 54, Bird reduced NSW to 3-0 after just 14 balls when he trapped Daniel Hughes and Daniel Solway LBW before Kurtis Patterson edged behind.
Peter Siddle (1-14) joined in with the wicket of Jason Sangha, before Bird completed an astonishing morning session by having Nick Larkin caught at bat pad as NSW went to lunch 5-17.
In his first over after the break Mitch Starc was caught at first slip, before Trent Copeland and Nathan Lyon followed in the space of three balls shortly after.
Sam Rainbird finished the demolition job by having Harry Conway caught way, with Blues captain Peter Nevill the only batsman to reach double figures at 10 not out.
The Tigers, who took their overnight total from 7-258 to 333 with Tim Paine falling 13 short of a maiden century in his own state, did not enforce the follow-on.
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