Victorian opening batsman Chris Rogers is eyeing a century against South Australia on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval.
The Bushrangers are 2-189 at tea, with Rogers unbeaten on 90 and Peter Handscomb not out 25.
Rogers combined with Michael Hill (54) for a 124-run partnership for the second wicket after the Bushrangers lost Rob Quiney early.
Quiney fell for 13 to Chadd Sayers’ bowling, brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman, diving low to his left to complete a one-hander in front of first slip.
Rogers, who played a solitary Test for Australia in 2008, and 24-year-old Hill then took control until Redbacks captain Johan Botha claimed a much-needed breakthrough for his side.
Botha beat Hill with a flighted delivery which caught the edge of the Victorian’s bat to give Ludeman his second catch of the innings.
And Ludeman should have pouched another in the next over from Sayers, but the gloveman dropped a nick from Rogers, who was 70 at the time.
The Redbacks were surprisingly missing their two most recent international cricketers, Dan Christian and Kane Richardson.
Christian, who played a starring role in Brisbane Heat’s Big Bash Twenty20 title, was not included in SA’s 12-man squad.
And Richardson, who made his Australian one-day debut just 11 days ago, was named 12th man for the game.