Like every other milestone in his incredible summer, Fawad Ahmed took to this latest opportunity with relish.
The 30-year-old leg spinner bowled 26 steady overs on a flat MCG wicket and took 2-79 on Monday as he made his Sheffield Shield cricket debut.
It’s only a few weeks since the former Pakistan first-class player was granted asylum in Australia and promptly joined the Melbourne Renegades team for the Big Bash League.
He and left-arm spinner Clive Rose impressed in their first Shield outings, having made a Victorian team missing several players on national duties.
Ahmed trapped Nathan Reardon lbw for 17 and then took the vital wicket of Peter Forrest, who made 119.
He produced a superb leg break and wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb took a sharp catch to end Forrest’s knock.
Rose also chimed in at a vital moment, bowling Bulls captain James Hopes for 88.
That ended the 169-run partnership between Hopes and Forrest that proved the backbone of the Queensland’s first-innings 322.
Rose finished with 3-52.
“They both did really well, but I reckon they can both bowl better (again) than what they did which is a good sign for us,” said teammate Will Sheridan, who led the attack with 4-71.
“I think they’d both be happy how they’ve gone, but plenty more wickets from those guys in the future.”