Mitchell Perry claimed a second-innings five-fer as Victoria romped home to victory inside three days against South Australia, strengthening their push to make the Sheffield Shield final. Set a target of 368 in the fourth innings, the visitors collapsed for 190, succumbing to a big defeat.
Perry took 5 for 64 in SA’s second dig to go with his three wickets in the first innings. South Australia were effectively out of the chase once they were reduced to 27/4. Resistance came in the form of a 96-run partnership between Ben Manenti (82) and Daniel Drew (38) but once Will Sutherland dismissed Drew, the writing was on the wall. Manenti went on to score a fine 82 but fell to Perry before Victoria ran through the tail.
Brief scores: Victoria 169 & 312 (Matthew Short 119; Spencer Johnson 6-87) beat South Australia 114 & 190 (Ben Manenti 82; Mitchell Perry 5-64) by 177 runs.
Cameron Bancroft scored an unbeaten half-century in the second innings as Western Australia moved well in front of hosts Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield encounter at the Bellerive Oval. At Stumps on Day 2, Western Australia led by 223 runs with nine wickets still in hand.
This position was down largely to their bowling display after posting 300 on the opening day. Tasmania were quickly reduced to 74/6 with the troika of Chales Stobo, Matthew Kelly and Joel Paris running riot. Only a 78-run stand between Beau Webster (52) and Jordan Silk (45) offered any resistance. Once that partnership ended with the score on 157, the innings folded 12 runs later with the hosts conceding a 131-run lead.
Brief scores: WA 300 & 92/1 (Cameron Bancroft 50; Nathan Ellis 1-18) lead Tasmania 169 (Beau Webster 52; Charles Stobo 3-45, Matthew Kelly 2-30) by 223 runs
Jimmy Peirson’s unbeaten 115 helped Queensland close down the first-innings deficit to New South Wales in the clash at The Gabba. Queensland were tottering at 80/5 in response to NSW’s 320 when their captain walked in at No.7. Peirson saw his side then slip to 134/7, as their best batter until then, Max Bryant, departed for 40. But Peirson put on 91 with No.9 Xavier Bartlett (32) and another unbeaten 56-run stand with Mark Steketee to bring Queensland to within 39 runs of NSW’s total. They will have their centurion around at the start of the third day’s play to further close in.
Brief scores: Queensland 281/8 (Jimmy Peirson 115*; Sean Abbott 3-63) trail NSW 320 (Matthew Gikes 94; Xavier Bartlett 4-50) by 39 runs
