NSW's quicks have put the Blues in command of their crucial Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria, taking all seven wickets to leave the visitors 7-168 after day one in Sydney. Only Matthew Short (80no) offered any real resilience for the Victorians, who slumped to 2-16 and 6-106 between rain delays at a wet Bankstown Oval. With all eyes on Pat Cummins in his first Shield match in more than a year, it was Harry Conway who took centre stage with 3-31 on Thursday. The big right-armer claimed three scalps just before the tea break to rip the heart out of the Victorians, who looked to be mounting some form of a fightback. He claimed the key wicket of Marcus Harris edging to a good Daniel Hughes catch at gully, after he'd driven nicely through the covers for 29. Jake Fraser-McGurk then threw his wicket away when he cut a wide ball straight to Sean Abbott at point, falling for an entertaining 18. But there was nothing loose about Conway's next wicket, getting Seb Gotch's edge when he came wide of the crease and the ball held its line. Cummins meanwhile bowled with good control to have 1-35 from his 14 overs. He removed Peter Handscomb lbw for one with a ball that swung back at the right-hander late and was potentially going down leg. Trent Copeland also finished with 2-31 and Sean Abbott 1-52, as NSW try to hold onto a top-two position after being shocked by Victoria last week. "It was good fun. Even just playing red ball again, I haven't played since the first Test about a month ago," Cummins said. "I thought all the guys bowled well. "When you bowl five bowlers there is always one quick who gets last crack at it and that was Harry. Good rhythm, swung the ball and kept it full." Short meanwhile watched on at the other end and survived with his soft hands, having battled through 164 balls by stumps for his highest score of the summer. The 25-year-old barely got a chance at the start of the season with Harris and Will Pucovski dominating up top, before hitting a half-century in a 50-over game last week. "I had a pretty disappointing Big Bash," Short said. "So to come out of that it was good to put some runs on the board and face quality bowling and a lot of balls. "There was some live grass and few rain clouds around it was tough going so happy to be there at the end." Australian Associated Press
NSW quick Harry Conway took 3-31 to have Victoria in trouble at 7-168 by stumps in the Shield match.
NSW's quicks have put the Blues in command of their crucial Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria, taking all seven wickets to leave the visitors 7-168 after day one in Sydney.
Only Matthew Short (80no) offered any real resilience for the Victorians, who slumped to 2-16 and 6-106 between rain delays at a wet Bankstown Oval.
With all eyes on Pat Cummins in his first Shield match in more than a year, it was Harry Conway who took centre stage with 3-31 on Thursday.
The big right-armer claimed three scalps just before the tea break to rip the heart out of the Victorians, who looked to be mounting some form of a fightback.
He claimed the key wicket of Marcus Harris edging to a good Daniel Hughes catch at gully, after he'd driven nicely through the covers for 29.
Jake Fraser-McGurk then threw his wicket away when he cut a wide ball straight to Sean Abbott at point, falling for an entertaining 18.
But there was nothing loose about Conway's next wicket, getting Seb Gotch's edge when he came wide of the crease and the ball held its line.
Cummins meanwhile bowled with good control to have 1-35 from his 14 overs.
He removed Peter Handscomb lbw for one with a ball that swung back at the right-hander late and was potentially going down leg.
Trent Copeland also finished with 2-31 and Sean Abbott 1-52, as NSW try to hold onto a top-two position after being shocked by Victoria last week.
"It was good fun. Even just playing red ball again, I haven't played since the first Test about a month ago," Cummins said.
"I thought all the guys bowled well.
"When you bowl five bowlers there is always one quick who gets last crack at it and that was Harry. Good rhythm, swung the ball and kept it full."
Short meanwhile watched on at the other end and survived with his soft hands, having battled through 164 balls by stumps for his highest score of the summer.
The 25-year-old barely got a chance at the start of the season with Harris and Will Pucovski dominating up top, before hitting a half-century in a 50-over game last week.
"I had a pretty disappointing Big Bash," Short said.
"So to come out of that it was good to put some runs on the board and face quality bowling and a lot of balls.
"There was some live grass and few rain clouds around it was tough going so happy to be there at the end."
Australian Associated Press
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