As happy as Queensland coach Darren Lehmann would have been after the Bulls’ day one fightback in their Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria at the Gabba, national selectors probably wore the biggest grins on Wednesday.
Barely a month before they are expected to combine at the same venue in the first Test against South Africa, quicks Peter Siddle (3-36) and James Pattinson (2-29) tore apart the Bulls top order before John Hastings (4-41) cleaned up the tail as Victoria routed the hosts for 149.
And selectors were given a not so subtle reminder of Australia’s bowling depth when Ben Cutting – 12th man at last summer’s Gabba Test – helped the Bulls roar back with 2-16, reducing the Bushrangers to 6-103 by stumps on the first day.
Cutting made up for lost time after surprisingly not being introduced until the 22nd over of Victoria’s first innings.
He claimed the prized scalp of Cameron White (13) with just his fourth ball, trapping the Bushrangers skipper in front LBW.
And with the first ball of his fourth over he had Queensland’s first innings tormentor Hastings caught behind for four as Victoria slumped to 6-68.
It was an impressive comeback by Cutting who finished with 2-101 in Sunday’s record one-day loss to the Bushrangers at the Gabba – the most expensive figures in domestic 50-overs history.
Surprisingly the man largely responsible for Cutting’s unwanted record – Aaron Finch – was named 12th man by Victoria on Wednesday.
Days after thrashing 154 off 141 balls – a state record total – as stand-in skipper, Finch was given drinks duties following the return of White, Clint McKay, David Hussey and Matthew Wade from international duty and Siddle’s injection.
It hardly seemed to faze Victoria as Siddle and Pattinson inspired a Queensland batting collapse, at one stage losing 3-15 in 12 balls.
In all, Queensland lost 7-64 after lunch with Usman Khawaja top scoring with 28.
However, they would have been tempted to rue ditching Finch after the Bulls turned the tables with the ball.
Indeed batting was difficult all day – the unbeaten 35-run seventh wicket stand by Matthew Wade (38 not out) and Siddle (12 not out) was the highest partnership of the match to date.
Alister McDermott (2-18 off 11 overs) did some early damage for Queensland, ably supported by Luke Feldman (2-28) who claimed the prized scalp of Hussey (seven) before Cutting’s heroics.
