Mitchell Starc snared three wickets, one day before the Adelaide Test squad announcement, but it was Victoria’s forgotten duo Chris Rogers and Cameron White who secured first points in the Sheffield Shield clash at the SCG.
Starc, desperate to force his way back into the Australian line-up after being overlooked for the Gabba Test in favour of Ben Hilfenhaus, removed White and Rogers eventually, but the damage had already been done.
Looking composed against NSW’s impressive pace arsenal, Rogers notched his 56th first-class century with a classy 125 off 258 balls, including 18 boundaries.
His partner in crime, White, passed 50 for the first time this summer, and hit the runs which put the visitors ahead in the over after lunch before his innings ended on 72.
Starc claimed both batsmen, adding to his day-two scalp of David Hussey (9), before bowling tailender Louis Cameron for a duck to end the Bushrangers’ innings on 330, giving them a lead of 37.
Blues’ skipper Stephen O’Keefe waited 25 overs on day three before unleashing Starc, who then dismissed Rogers with his ninth ball, showing the improvements he’d made after taking 1-50 the previous day.
Starc’s dismissal of White was most impressive – bowling a great line across the allrounder’s body which forced White into a defensive stroke, with Brad Haddin snaffling the resultant edge.
NSW reeled in Victoria’s first-innings lead in quickly, with debutant David Dawson on 40 and Scott Henry 38 as the Blues reached tea at 0-78, a lead of 41.
Doug Bollinger again looked sharp and bowled with pace but without luck, finishing with the unflattering figures of 0-70.
Making matters worse, Bollinger could face a fine for disputing a not-out call on Rogers, believing he had been caught behind.
Bollinger had a lengthy tantrum, glaring at Rogers before storming back to his mark and throwing the ball into the turf.
He then unleashed a fiery spell with the new ball, peppering White and Rogers but somehow remaining wicketless.