Australia A’s quicks and Tasmanian batter Caleb Jewell have steered the hosts towards a commanding position on day one of the first tour match against New Zealand A at Allan Border Field.
After the New Zealanders were bowled out for 147, Australia A was 3-141 at stumps, trailing the tourists by just six runs, with Jewell (69*) and Campbell Kellaway (10*) unbeaten in the middle.
West Australian opener Cameron Bancroft, who made his most recent Test appearance in 2019, was given a chance to push his case in the Australia A series against the Kiwis, but the 30-year-old failed to impress national selectors on Monday. New Zealand seamer Scott Kuggeleijn found his outside edge early in the evening session, with the right-hander departing for 14.
Bancroft, the leading run-scorer of last season’s Sheffield Shield, is locked in a three-way battle with Marcus Harris and Matthew Renshaw for the opening position in Australia’s Test side, which will become vacant when David Warner hangs up the boots in January.
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Australia A won the toss and elected to bowl first on a seaming deck in Brisbane, and Queensland paceman Mark Steketee made early inroads with a pair of wickets in his second over of the match. After Kiwi opener Henry Cooper feathered a catch through to wicketkeeper Jimmy Pierson for 3, Steketee knocked over Nick Kelly the following delivery, with Bancroft accepting the outside edge at second slip.
Former Black Caps representative Tom Bruce and opener Sean Solia steadied the ship, combining for a 59-run partnership for the third wicket before the Australia A seamers wreaked havoc on either side of lunch.
New Zealand A lost 5-16 in a dramatic 58-ball passage of play, with South Australian quick Jordan Buckingham accounting for three breakthroughs. Muhammad Abbas and Josh Clarkson both fell to Buckingham for a duck, while left-armer Joel Paris removed Bruce for 37, with Tim Ward taking a smart catch at gully.
Mitchell Perry was left fuming after two slips catches were dropped off his bowling in the afternoon session, with Campbell Kellaway and Caleb Jewell each gifting Brett Randell an extra life in the same over.
Queensland spinner Mitchell Swepson cleaned up the tail, claiming the final three wickets in quick succession to wrap up New Zealand innings before tea.
“We all bowled really well … we all chipped in,” Buckingham said at stumps.
“It was really nice to get a couple of poles today.
“I definitely pride myself on consistency. I’m not out-and-out express pace like some guys are blessed with.
“I try and stay as patient as possible and try to win the mental battle.”
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In response, both of Australia’s openers fell cheaply — Ward edged a gorgeous delivery from Kiwi seamer Jacob Duffy through to the slips cordon for 16 before Bancroft’s departure in the 16th over.
Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney was the next to depart, albeit in bizarre circumstances — Duffy’s full outswinger kissed the South Australian’s outside edge, with New Zealand’s fielders celebrating the breakthrough. Umpire Sam Nogajski was unmoved at the striker’s end but eventually awarded the dismissal after consulting Donovan Koch at square leg, with McSweeney trudging off for 22.
It was all one-way traffic for the remainder of the afternoon, with Jewell and Kellaway combining for an unbeaten 53-run partnership to guide Australia A safely to stumps.
Day two of the tour match will resume on Tuesday morning at 9.30am AEST.