NSW pace bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Gurinder Sandhu have ripped the heart of out Victoria’s top-order batting on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.
After the home team won the toss and batted first on what appeared to be a relatively benign strip, they were reduced to a calamitous 8-55 at lunch on the opening day, with all of their best batsmen in the pavilion.
After a steady opening stand of 23 between Rob Quiney and Chris Rogers, the Bushrangers lost 8-32 in 18.3 overs under fire from accurate and probing seam bowling.
Seamer Hazlewood, returning from international duties with Australia A, bundled out three Victorian batsmen including the in-form Rogers (17) and David Hussey (2).
The Blues’ teenaged seamer Sandhu, a former Australian under 19 bowler, made a sensational start to his first class career.
Sandhu, 19, picked up his first Shield wicket in his first over when he had Peter Handscomb caught at point, then added a further three scalps in an opening spell of 4-7 from six overs.
Victoria are four points clear on top of the Shield table but are still not guaranteed of a place in the final later this month, with all six teams having two matches left.
NSW are on the bottom of the standings and are playing their first match under new captain Ben Rohrer, who replaced Steve O’Keefe after the latter stood down from the job.