South Australia v New South Wales at Adelaide

Report from Lawrie Colliver
20-23 October 1998




Day 1: SOUTH AUSTRALIA BATSMAN DOMINATE DAY ONE

Day One: Sheffield Shield Cricket-South Australia are 3/359 versus New South Wales at the Adelaide Oval

An outstanding innings of 175 by Greg Blewett has dominated the first day of the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales here today at the Adelaide Oval. After winning the toss and batting SA closed the day on 3/359 after bad light stopped play at 5.25pm with six overs remaining for the day.

Blewett who batted in all for 320 mins and faced 297 balls while hitting 19 fours, survived a chance to Shane Lee at second slip off Stuart Clark when only 13. Blewett, standing in as skipper while Darren Lehmann is in Pakistan on test duty, shared sizeable partnerships with Martin Faull (80) of 171 for the first wicket and of 106 for the third wicket with former Victorian Geoff Parker, who finished the day with 60 not out. Blewett played brilliantly after a slightly shaky start, scoring all around the ground with his driving straight and his pulling of the short ball being very good. It was his 20th first class century, his eleventh in Sheffield Shield Cricket and his second versus New South Wales. Co-opener Martin Faull started nervously but as his innings progressed, he produced his trademark cover drive with great effect throughout the afternoon. He fell to Michael Bevan just before the midway points of the day, caught at cover, being not quite to the pitch of the ball in attempting an cover drive. Faull's replacement Davies started well with his opening scoring stroke being a pull shot off Thompson for a boundary. However as his innings approached the hour, Thompson trapped the youngster LBW.

Parker joined Blewett in a partnership that saw South Australia to the new ball. In fading light Blewett attempted a pull shot off Thompson which rebounded off his thigh pad clipped his glove and just touched the leg stump dislodging the leg ball. In the gloom the umpires, Prue and Harper, the latter recently appointed to the ICC panel, consulted on a least five occasions but the decided to continue. The light certainly didn't bother Parker who after reaching a well made half century pulled Thompson for six towards the Victor Richardson gates side of the ground. Adcock also showed he has improved his back foot play with a nice pull shot for four just before stumps. Eventually light rain began to fall and played was called off five minutes and six short of time.

For South Australia it was a good toss to win, however an extra spinner in Peter McIntyre might prove handy in the fourth innings on a pitch that is expected to take considerable turn.

Day Two: NEW SOUTH WALES ``GO SLOW'' AT THE ADELAIDE OVAL

Day Two of Four: New South Wales are 4/174 in reply to South Australia's

4/420 declared.

New South Wales' batsmen strolled rather than chased after South Australia's impressive 4/420 declared on day two at the Adelaide Oval. The main offender in go slow run chase was New South Wales' opener Rod Davison who laboured for just over four hours for his 46 (200 balls). The Blues batsmen dug themselves into a hole after South Australia added 61 runs in 14 overs for the loss of Geoff Parker (62) in the opening hour. Left hander Ben Johnson, who has now just about occupied every SA top six batting spot, made a quickfire 35 not out in an unbeaten partnership of 57 in 52 minutes with Nathan Adcock (42*) before the declaration came.

It was a positive declaration by skipper Blewett and its was followed up by some accurate bowling throughout the afternoon, particularly from medium pacer Andrew Eime (2/24) and left arm spinner Bradley Young (2/46) who took two last session wickets.

First gamer Matthew Phelps debuted in attacking style hitting six boundaries in his 39 before edging Eime to Nielsen. Michael Bevan joined Davison and started positively, finding the unresponsive Adelaide Oval track to his liking. After a two hour stand of 72, Eime found Bevan's leg stumps via an inside edge and the player whom many regard as the world's best limited over batsman was dismissed for 47.

Just after drinks in the final session, Davison finally went edging an attempted sweep onto his pad, where it rebounded up high to give 'keeper Nielsen time to dive from behind the stumps to effect a brilliant one handed catch.

Corey Richards, who lasted an hour, lifted a Bradley Young full toss into the hands off Adcock at mid wicket as South Australia started to get the better of the visitors in this match. On a flat wicket, the New South Wales' batsmen must be more positive tomorrow if they are to get back into this match.

DAY THREE REPORT:

Day Three of Four: South Australia (4/420 declared & 3/150) are 247 ahead versus New South Wales (5/323 declared) at the Adelaide Oval.

A quickfire unbeaten century by Shane Lee has brought New South Walesback into the match in its opening Sheffield Shield match versus South Australia at the Adelaide Oval.

Coming in at 5-186, early on day three, Lee smashed his second consecutive century against the Redbacks following his unbeaten 183 last December. Lee faced only 139 balls, hit eleven fours as he shared a sixth wicket partnership of 137 for the sixth wicket with Brad McNamara (37*) in even time, with Lee playing the dominant role after the loss of Graham Rummans (19) in the tenth over of the morning.

Lee had some luck on 88, surviving a third umpire run out appeal when as non-striker he came back for a third leg bye. The Paul Wilson throw to Tim Nielsen appeared to find Lee short of his ground, but TV umpire Ashley Hunter ruled in the batsmans favour after a lengthy delay. Head on camera shots showed that Lee's bat was on the line, but nevertheless Lee batted on to reach his eleventh first class ton.

New South Wales declared fifty minutes after lunch, 97 in arrears and the South Australian openers started positively with Faull taking three boundaries in the opening two overs.

The introduction of Freedman slowed the scoring and twenty minutes after tea, Faull was dismissed off the worst ball of the match, hitting a waist high full toss from Freedman to Michael Bevan at mid wicket. Faull, who would be disappointed with his mode of dismissal for the second time in the match, nonetheless would have been pleased with his effort in this game, sharing sizable partnerships for the first wicket in both innings with skipper Greg Blewett.

At 90, Blewett drove a return catch to Freedman, but stood his ground for a while, under the misconception that it was a bump ball. Harper and Prue conferred, and as television clearly showed the umpires were correct.

Newcomer Davies was joined by Parker and added 40 but was hit on the grill of his helmet attempting to hook paceman Stuart Clark and was forced to retire hurt with his score at 23.Parker then became Freedman's third victim, thanks to some quick work from 100-game Shield veteran Phil Emery, who stumped Parker after the ball rebounded from Parker's pads. Parker seemed to think the ball had gone past Emery, as he took off for a legbye with Emery whipping off the bails as Parker scrambled back.

Thanks to a brief flurry at the end by Ben Johnson, SA closed the day with a lead of 247 and will need the best part of an hour batting tomorrow to set a target which they will be comfortable with.

DAY FOUR REPORT:

Day Four: South Australia (4/420 dec & 6/236 dec) drew with New South Wales (5/323 dec & 6/262)

An unbeaten century by Corey Richards and a blazing innings by Ben Johnson were the highlights in the final day of the drawn Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales at the Adelaide Oval.

Going into the final day with a lead of 247, the home team smashed 86 for the loss of three wickets in the opening hour before closing at 11.30am to give NSW 334 to win in a minimum of 84 overs. Star of the morning was Ben Johnson who added 65 to his overnight score, to finish with a unbeaten 80 off 78 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, all of which were sweep shots over the eastern boundary off David Freedman.

New South Wales lost Phelps in the fourth over but then set a good platform for the run chase with a partnership of 94 for the second wicket before Michael Bevan (41) was brilliantly caught at slip by Greg Blewett, driving at Brad Young. Five overs later Davison (54) was trapped in front by Harrity and at tea NSW required 188 to win in 39 overs with seven wickets in hand - a tough assignment on a fourth day pitch given their scoring rate to date in the match. It became a tougher assignment when Lee (21) and the elevated Thompson (10) went in quick succession, but a flurry of scoring from the bat of Corey Richards saw he and Graeme Rummans add 72 in 68 minutes, before Rummans was trapped by part timemedium pacer Ben Johnson for ten. Skipper Emery joined centurion Richards and these two negoiated the final 13.5 overs of the match to force the draw.

In a match for the batsman, where just 21 wickets fell for over 1200 runs, Richards' century was his second in first class cricket following his 164 versus Tasmania at Hobart last summer.

Contributed by Lawrie Colliver  


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