More MCG carnage as Neser rips through Victoria
Shayne Hope |
Victoria’s stand-in captain Peter Handscomb has urged the cricket world not to “jump at shadows” after 17 wickets fell on day one of the Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland, putting the MCG pitch firmly back in the spotlight.
In the first red-ball match at the famous venue since the Boxing Day Test debacle, bowlers again dominated proceedings in Thursday’s first-class fixture.
Test quick Michael Neser ripped through Victoria’s top order, taking 3-3 in a scintillating opening spell as the table-topping hosts were reduced to 5-11 in their 12th over.
Victoria steadied a little to reach 7-61 at stumps in reply to Queensland’s first-innings total of 149, with Handscomb (25) and Sam Elliott (seven) unbeaten.
Only three batters faced more than 50 deliveries.
The carnage came less than six weeks after the infamous two-day Ashes Test in December brought heat on MCG officials and curator Matt Page.
Page came under fire over a bowler-friendly deck that had 10mm of grass on it and was ultimately rated “unsatisfactory” by the ICC.
But Handscomb and Neser both insisted Thursday’s display had nothing to do with the MCG pitch.
“I still think it’s a good wicket,” Handscomb told reporters after stumps.
“I back Pagey in and what he’s done here over the last four or five years. I think the wicket’s been really good.
“Even that Test wicket I still think was a good wicket.
“The game against WA before the Test match had more grass on it and it went into day four.
“So I think we can maybe jump at shadows a little bit here and blame it all on the wicket.”
Handscomb wasn’t disappointed with his batters, adamant Queensland’s good bowling in the conditions was the reason Victoria’s top order crumbled.
“We’ve played in games out here when it was 15mm (grass), we’ve played on 10mm, now it’s 7mm … if you’re good enough and you hit the seam, the ball moves,” Handscomb said.
“That’s the art of red-ball cricket. He’s tried 7mm today and I still think it’s a good wicket.
“The balls that got us out all hit the top of off (stump). That’s good bowling.
“Our batters know that question’s going to be there in the second innings as well, so it’s up to them to find a way to deal with that.”
Neser was on a hat-trick at one point and ended the day with figures of 3-9 from nine overs with four maidens.
The right-arm seamer, who also featured for Australia in the Boxing Day Test, said the MCG pitch was not providing as much seam movement as when England visited.
“I don’t think it was doing as much,” Neser said.
“I think he cut it down to (7mm) there, and the wicket actually looks half decent, but it did do a bit when we’re out there.
“But then there was moments where you felt actually quite comfortable and you could score.
“We did bowl very well as a unit. I think we were very tight. Barely missed a ball there, so made it hard for them.”
Tom Straker (2-24), Jem Ryan (1-9) and Hayden Kerr (1-13) also did some damage as Queensland took the points on day one.
In a further blow for Victoria, who were already without Test quick Scott Boland and rested captain Will Sutherland, they lost top-order batter Tom Rogers to a broken finger.
Rogers took three catches in the field on Thursday – two days after his spectacular one-handed effort in the 50-over clash between the same teams – but was unable to bat and was substituted out of the game.
Victoria had looked on top when they sent Queensland in and bowled out the visitors in 60 overs.
Test stars Usman Khawaja (19) and Marnus Labuschagne (10) were both out before lunch, when Queensland were 2-77.
Elliott (4-43) channelled Steve Smith’s quirky hand gestures when he dismissed Labuschagne, turning to celebrate the wicket in the Queensland captain’s direction.
The remaining eight Queensland wickets tumbled for just 72 runs in an action-packed second session, as Khawaja’s opening partner Hugo Burdon top-scored with 43.
David Moody (3-24) and Fergus O’Neill (2-25) were Victoria’s other multiple wicket-takers.
AAP
