Australia's left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc made a stunning return to red-ball cricket, registering a four-wicket haul in Sheffield Shield clash between New South Wales and Victoria at Sydney Cricket Ground. On Day 1 of the clash, Starc bowled a toe-crushing yorker to break opening partnership with the new ball in the ninth over. While Starc claimed a four-fer, Peter Handscomb stole the show with his belligerent 104.
Starc takes four, Hazlewood wicketless
Starc trapped Harry Dixon in front of the stumps with a yorker. Nathan Lyon in his first over got rid of Marcus Harris for a single-digit score. Handscomb and Campbell Kellaway shared a 62-run partnership.
In the second session, Kellaway got out trying to work a delivery towards leg side. Starc got the breakthrough as Josh Philippe took a regulation catch. Kellaway departed after scoring 51 runs from 104 deliveries. In his next over, Starc got Oliver Peake out for a three-ball duck.
Sam Harper did not look to hang around. He launched a counter-attack and hit Josh Hazlewood for three fours in an over. Starc returned but Harper hit him for two sixes and as many fours in the 53rd over. He reached his fifty with a maximum off just 38 deliveries. But Starc had the last laugh, dismissing him in the same over for a 40-ball 54.
Handscomb scores century
Fergus O'Neill shared a crucial 84-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Handscomb. O-Neill scored 46 runs from 76 balls. He became Sean Abbott's only wicket of the day. Will Sutherland looked to score quickly. After the new ball was taken, Handscomb reached his century with a boundary off Hazlewood. He took 208 deliveries to reach three figures.
In the penultimate over of the day, Lyon got the prized wicket of Handscomb. He got bowled by the veteran off-spinner. The discarded Australian batter scored 104 runs from 210 deliveries. Victoria were 340/7 at the end of Day 1's play.
Starc-Hazlewood-Lyon’s bowling figures on Day 1
Starc bowled 18 overs including three maidens, conceded 91 runs and took four wickets. On Day 2, he will have a chance to take a fifer. Lyon kept the proceedings relatively quiet, conceding 65 runs from 22 overs, picking up two crucial wickets. Hazlewood bowled 18 overs including three maidens and conceded 54 runs. He could not get a single wicket after a good run in white-ball series against India.