Tigers on verge of Shield win against SA

A career-best six wicket haul by paceman Luke Butterworth laid the platform for a Tasmanian victory against perennial strugglers South Australia in the Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.

Forced to follow-on, the Redbacks wobbled to 6-103 in their second innings at stumps on Thursday’s third day – still 76 runs behind the Tigers.

Butterworth ripped through SA’s first innings to take 6-49, and then claimed two more victims in the second dig, including the prized scalp of Redback recruit Phil Hughes.

SA’s batting mainstays – Hughes (37), Callum Ferguson (22) and Tom Cooper (14) – were all dismissed in the second innings as the Redbacks head for their 18th consecutive Shield game without a win.

The bleak streak was effectively sealed by Butterworth’s feats with the ball in SA’s first innings.

After Tasmania plundered 3(dec)-403, the 28-year-old quick helped bowl out the Redbacks for 224, some 179 runs behind, before tea on day three.

And the Tigers’ advantage would have been greater if not for career high first-class scores by both SA `keeper Tim Ludeman (85) and tailender Chadd Sayers (38 not out).

The pair registered a 107-run partnership – the highest ninth wicket stand by South Australians against Tasmania in Shield cricket.

But the record union couldn’t prevent the Redbacks being ordered to follow-on.

Tasmanian fast bowler Jackson Bird took the initial two wickets, Butterworth again took centre stage by dismissing Hughes and SA’s new skipper Johan Botha as the Redbacks again slumped.

Despite the Redbacks’ reputation for folding, Butterworth said it was still surprising to gain the ascendancy so rapidly.

“It’s always a surprise when you get through a first-class team pretty easily,” he said.

“Once we got on top we are trying our hardest to stay on top and keep control.”

But Butterworth cautioned against Tasmania thinking they had the outright points in the bank, saying the Ludeman-Sayers partnership served a timely warning.

“We have got to come out tomorrow and if we don’t bowl well, as we saw today they can bat well down the order, we know that their tailenders can put on partnerships,” he said.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!