Victorian prodigy Harry Dixon has made a whirlwind start to his Sheffield Shield career on Sunday, hitting 66 off 72 balls against Tasmania in Hobart.
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The 19-year-old hit three monster sixes at Ninja Stadium on Day 2 of his state’s first clash back from the Big Bash to help dig Victoria out of a hole at 4-80 when he walked to the crease.
His exit at 6-178 left the visitors still trailing by 58 runs. Victoria managed to build a 22-run lead at the innings break on Sunday.
Peter Siddle then snared the wicket of opener Nivethan Radhakrishnan to leave Tasmania 1-43 at stumps – 21 runs ahead with nine wickets remaining.
Dixon was Australia’s most prolific batter – 309 runs at 44.14, including three fifties – as the nation won the Under-19 World Cup last year, playing in a team with Sam Konstas.
But while Konstas earned a sudden Aussie Test call-up after impressing for New South Wales, Dixon was left to wait until now to be elevated.
The St Kilda product made headlines in 2023 by smashing 167 and 83 in the first Youth Ashes Test against England, also scoring 148 in a one-day contest against the old enemy a few months earlier.
Meanwhile Konstas’ return to the Shield was a quiet one, gone for three off 33 balls on day two at the Gabba.
With NSW already on the back foot after Queensland made 387 in their first innings, Konstas couldn’t hang around in his first game back from Test duties.
The talented teen was caught fishing by Xavier Bartlett as NSW slumped to 3-21. It capped off a rough morning for Konstas after he was involved in the run out that cost Nic Maddinson his wicket (8).
At 5-29, NSW looked in all sorts before Matt Gilkes and skipper Jack Edwards steadied the ship with a century stand.
Edwards’ unbeaten 104 helped guide NSW to 7-237, still 150 runs behind.
In the other match, WA’s Shield nightmare rolled on with the side skittled for just 66 inside 27 overs.
Nathan McAndrew had an absolute field day for South Australia as he nabbed 7-11 inside his 10 overs.
Only Ashton Turner showed any resistance for the West Aussies at the WACA Ground as he contributed almost half of his side’s total score.
Just one other player made it into double figures in the disastrous loss for WA inside two days.
It comes after the side was rolled for just 120 on the opening day.
Despite making just 124 in the first innings South Australia needed only 63 runs for victory.
And they got home with six wickets to spare as Jason Sangha (24*) helped steer South Australia to the win.
South Australia remain at the top of the Shield table, with McAndrew named player of the match.
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