South Australian skipper Johan Botha insists his team’s hopes of making the Sheffield Shield final are far from dead despite coming off second best in a scrap with NSW paceman Gurinder Sandhu on day one at the SCG.
NSW’s bid to spring from last place to the Shield final is well and truly alive thanks to another haul from the outstanding young fast bowler on Thursday.
Sandhu’s 4-58, following a 5-31 in his first-class debut against Victoria last week, was the driving force as the Blues skittled South Australia for just 182 in the crucial Shield matchup.
Despite the lowly first innings total and the need to secure maximum points to reach or even host the final Botha, who top-scored for the visitors with 53, remained upbeat.
“I think with 120 you’re definitely struggling and you’re behind in the game but with 180 you never know, we could bowl them out for 150,” Botha told AAP.
The last-placed Blues, who definitely need an outright victory, finished the day at 1-38, 144 runs in arrears, with Scott Henry unbeaten on 23 and debutant Daniel Hughes on four.
If they do secure first-innings points on Friday, they’ll have Sandhu to thank.
He ripped the guts out of the Redbacks’ top order on a disastrous day for the visiting batsmen.
Botha’s fighting spirit added 76 valuable runs with the tailenders for the final three wickets, much to NSW’s disappointment – but it was too late, however, to mask the damage done by Sandhu.
“(Those runs) can be the difference between a 30 lead or a 30 trail come the end of day two,” Sandhu told AAP.
“We should’ve got them out … but anytime bowling first you can get a team out for under 200 on the first day it’s a pretty good result.”
The 19-year-old quick again belied his gentle pace to dismantle the Redbacks’ top order in ruthless fashion.
He was fortunate to have opener Sam Raphael (5) chop onto his stumps, but his next three wickets were all class.
Using his near two-metre frame, Sandhu extracted extra bounce from the SCG wicket to force edges from Alex Carey (10) and the experienced Michael Klinger (22) – and both offerings were taken by Trent Copeland at first slip.
Sandhu’s next offering was even more impressive, coaxing an outside edge from Jake Brown with a perfect-length delivery which shaped away from the batsman.
Sandhu’s fast-bowling allies Trent Copeland and Josh Hazlewood, who snared the key wicket of Callum Ferguson (17), finished with two wickets apiece while Chris Tremain (1-33) looked sharp.
NSW suffered an early setback in their chase with David Dawson (9) trapped lbw by SA quick Chadd Sayers but they avoided any further dramas, despite a testing period from Botha to keep their Shield dream alive another day.