New South Wales seamer Jackson Bird has ripped through South Australia in a stunning blitz at Adelaide Oval, taking seven wickets in a Sheffield Shield demolition on Thursday.
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The former Test quick, who turns 38 next month, finished with 7-46 from 15 overs as the hosts were rolled for 110 in 41.3 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.
Bird, who had a disrupted pre-season due to injury, removed South Australian opener Conor McInerney in the opening over, caught at short leg for a third-ball duck, before tearing the heart out of South Australia’s middle order. He dismissed wicketkeeper Harry Neilsen and Ben Manenti in consecutive balls to secure his five-wicket haul before knocking over tailenders Nathan McAndrew and Brendan Doggett within four deliveries.
Blues captain Jack Edwards cleaned up the tail, taking 2-25 from 11.3 overs, to put the tourists on track for their first Sheffield Shield victory of the season.
Bird’s career-best first-class figures remains the 7-18 he claimed against NSW at Bellerive Oval in 2021 while representing Tasmania.
“I don’t mind bowling Adelaide, it’s a great place to bowl,” Bird told reporters at stumps.
“It’s nice to get some wickets … felt reasonably good out there today.
“It still felt like I didn’t bowl great in patches, it’s funny how cricket works.”
New South Wales was 2-140 at stumps, with Kurtis Patterson (32*) and nightwatcher Tanveer Sangha (6*) unbeaten overnight.
Blues opener Nic Maddinson cracked 69, his highest first-class score of the season, before South Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope trapped him LBW.
The match resumes on Friday at 11am AEDT.
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