February 12, 2023
After watching several hours of day one in this fixture, an opportunity arose to sneak in just over an hour of day two of the Sheffield Shield encounter at the SCG !
In the meantime I had discovered that the bonus points system in the Sheffield Shield was that the batting side receives 0.01 points for every run scored beyond 200 in its first 100 overs of its first innings. The bowling side receives 0.1 points for every wicket taken inside the first 100 overs of its opponents first innings.
When we arrived, NSW had progressed to 375-7, in which yesterday’s centurion Daniel Hughes was finally being dismissed for 178, and Sangha had made 54. Peter Siddle had then taken two wickets in two balls to threaten a mini-collapse.
Mrs FB made the discovery of the day in that 6 rock oysters from the food counter cost only $22, much cheaper than anyway else she had found so far on the trip, so she had twelve !
Regarding the cricket, Chris Green straight away came down the wicket to loft left-arm spinner Andrews over mid-off for four, but bad running from a similar shot next ball resulted in just a single. Tremain attempted to sweep Andrews but missed to be bowled behind his legs for 5, to bring the score to 382 for 8.
Beau Webster was bowling his medium pace from the other end and a lovely leg-glance from Green beat the diving Tim Paine and sped away to the fine-leg boundary for four. New batsman Adam Zampa initially looked all at sea against the spin of Andrews, first being beaten all ends up and then missing an attempted square cut. He survived at the expense of a maiden over.
At the other end, Webster over pitched and Green leant into the cover drive to send the ball racing along the ground through extra for four, and then distainfully despatched a long hop through mid-wicket for another boundary. This resulted in wicket-keeper Paine coming up to the stumps for the medium pacer, and he made a smart take when Green missed an attacking off-side shot.
In desperation Zampa launched a slog at Andrews, but his miscue trickled towards a vacant gap towards mid-wicket and he was able to scamper a single to get off the mark as the throw at the stumps went well wide of the target.
When Webster pitched short of a length Zampa was able to steer through the vacant slip cordon for three to bring up the 400 for NSW.
At the other end, Green’s back foot drive through a gap in the covers of Andrew gave him two for his half century. The next ball was swept high but safe behind square for four, and then hard running from a push into the covers yielded another two runs. A fine sweep from the next ball produced three more runs, Zampa then drove through extra for two, and then slog sweep to cow corner led to another single to make it 14 from the over. At that point NSW declared at 417 for 8 from 142 overs. Green had looked a far more accomplished batsman than a number 8, and finished 59 not out.
One thing I hadn’t noticed from the previous day was the lack of tannoy announcements, presumably on the basis that the scoreboard provided all the information that the spectators needed.
The between innings fielding practice by NSW was something that would have put my Dutch Second XI side to shame but eventually 11 fielders made their way to the middle.
Both of Tasmania’s openers were left-handed, and Sean Abbott charged in from the Victor Trumper stand end for the first over with two slips and a gully. The 5th ball produced a huge appeal for LBW but from our position it looked like there was a huge inside edge, and the umpire was unmoved. However, Abbott started with a maiden.
Chris Tremain opened from the other end and had quite a pronounced round arm action, and the first run of the innings game from the final ball of his over as Caleb Jewell flicked off his legs for a single to fine leg.
Jewell produced a fine upright back-footed drive off Abbott for four and then steered the next ball past gully for two more.
Another big appeal followed in Tremain’s next over as the keeper took the ball down the leg side, but the umpire was in the opinion it was off the leg or thigh pad rather than the bat and his finger remained in his pocket.
Just as we were leaving a ball from Abbott seemed to keep a little low and past through Jewell’s defensive prod to hit the stumps, to leave Tasmania at 10-1
Postscript : A batting collapse thanks to a succession of loose shots left Tasmania in deep trouble at 89 for 5 at close of play.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3BWA4hoIvk&t=198s
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