A courageous spell of bowling from Sean Abbott on the 10th anniversary of Phillip Hughes’ death almost denied Tasmania its first win of the Sheffield Shield season.
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Abbott was visibly upset and consoled by teammates as New South Wales and Tasmania players and staff gathered with umpires for a moment’s silence commemorating Hughes’ death before the final day’s play at the SCG on Wednesday.
But the 32-year-old, who was bowling on November 25, 2014, when Hughes was fatally struck in the NSW-South Australia match at the SCG, returned to the field to claim three wickets in two overs and force an aggressive declaration from Tasmanian captain Jordan Silk.
The home side was set 295 to win from more than 85 overs, but was bowled out for 239 with 12.1 overs remaining after Beau Webster struck twice in four deliveries.
Australian Test hopeful Sam Konstas and opening partner Nic Maddinson both fell cheaply flashing outside the off stump after trying to get NSW’s innings off to a fast start, before left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann delivered his best spell of the season to decimate the Blues’ middle order.
Kuhnemann claimed the wickets of Ollie Davies, Matthew Gilkes and Jack Edwards to finish with 3-76 and provide a timely reminder of his quality to the Australian selectors as they mull which slow bowlers to take on February’s tour of Sri Lanka alongside Nathan Lyon.
Josh Philippe got the Blues’ chase moving before he was bowled by Mitch Owen for 55, and Chris Green put run rate pressure back on the Tigers when he hit Kuhnemann for consecutive boundaries to leave 55 runs to win from 13 overs with two wickets in hand.
But Green could only watch on from the other end as Webster had Adam Zampa caught behind the wicket for 16 and then found the outside edge of Jackson Bird three balls later to send Tasmania into fourth place on the Sheffield Shield table.
Earlier, the players and staff had gathered on the ground to honour Hughes, whose image was cast on the SCG scoreboard after he was struck down playing at the same venue 10 years before.
Half an hour after an emotional Abbott was comforted by teammates, the fast bowler was on a hat-trick after having Mitch Owen and Brad Hope out caught on the boundary.
After unsuccessfully trying to accelerate their scoring, the Tigers declared on 8-268 as captain Jordan Silk decided to boldly hang the carrot in front of NSW.
His attacking move paid off in a polished team bowling performance, which was backed by an impressive return to Shield cricket by left-hander Tim Ward.
The 2021 Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year winner posted scores of 92 and 96 to follow his 51 a fortnight ago after being recalled to the Tasmanian side as a No. 3.
Ward, 26, displayed his versatility with a fluent strike rate of 65 in the second innings after taking 246 balls for his first-innings knock.
He was denied his second first-class ton when he played all around a straightening delivery from Jack Edwards, which triggered the Tigers’ collapse of 4-10 in 15 balls.
Bancroft breaks drought with timely ton | 00:32
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