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15 wickets tumbled on Day 2 of the Sheffield Shield 2025-26 clash at Sydney Cricket Ground as Steve Smith's New South Wales were bundled out for 128. After Scott Boland and Todd Murphy's early strikes, rookie pacer Sam Elliot wreaked havoc with maiden first-class fifer to hand Victoria a massive 254-run lead.
In the first session, Nathan Lyon took two wickets whereas Jack Edwards dismissed captain Will Sutherland as Victoria were bowled out for 382.
In reply, off-spinner Murphy struck as first-change bowled and got the better of Ryan Hicks. Sam Konstas struggled and once again lost his wicket to Boland. A peach of a delivery went through his defense to knock back the middle stump. Murphy also dismissed Kurtis Patterson. Then, Fergus O'Neill trapped Oliver Davies in front of the stumps. Victoria lost four wickets for 71 runs.
Meanwhile, Smith's defense was solid. But Elliott got into the act and kept chipping away from the other end. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe became his first victim of the day. Then, Jack Edwards and Sean Abbott fell for single-digit scores to him as well. Boland returned and dismissed Mitchell Starc for a 10-ball duck.
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Just when Smith was joined by the perfect tailender to frustrate the opposition, Elliott got better of him as well. He returned to the pavilion for 57 off 89 balls. Elliot completed his maiden first-class fifer with the wicket of Josh Hazlewood. 25-year-old pacer bowled just 8.5 overs, including two maidens, conceded 26 runs and bagged a fifer.
Lyon lauds Smith
"Smithy is Smithy, isn't he?" Lyon said after the day’s play. "He trusted his defence and allowed himself time to get in the game. He would have faced close to 100 balls. In my eyes, if you allow yourself to get in and face as many balls as you can, that's when you give yourself the opportunity to score runs. That's what Pete [Handscomb] and Smithy have done."
Victoria's lead goes past 300
Once again, Victoria opener Harry Dixon got out lbw to Starc for a single-digit score. Abbott claimed the wicket of Campbell Kellaway who scored a half-century in the first innings. Victoria were 56/2 at the end of Day 2 with Marcus Harris and nightwatchman Murphy in the middle.
Elliott on bowling to Smith
Young Elliott was elated to bowl to Smith for the first time in red-ball cricket. He felt that Smith had a bat five times wider than other bowlers.
"It's a bit surreal, to be honest," Elliott said. "The cricket nuffy in me sort of pinched myself a little bit…you watch him play for Australia growing up and see all those innings that he plays. I mean, today, his bat looked like it was five times wider than everyone else."
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