Rising star Oliver Peake was struck on the helmet and retired hurt in a concerning blow on day three of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia at the WACA.
Australia’s U19 World Cup captain was hit when attempting to duck a Brody Couch short-ball that did not bounce as high as the talented left-hander expected.
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The 19-year-old, who also made a splash with the Melbourne Renegades during this summer’s Big Bash, was on three at the time he sustained the blow.
Victoria’s medical staff rushed out onto the ground to assess Peake.
There was lengthy discussion and attempts to find a suitable replacement helmet.
The tea break was eventually taken as Peake’s assessment continued.
But he did not return after the break with Fergus O’Neill joining Sam Harper in the middle to start the third session.
It was not long into the evening session that Harper raised the bat for his second century of the match.
For the first time in his career, the BBL player of the tournament struck two tons in the same game.
Thrown to the top of the order by Victorian coach Chris Rogers off the back of his heroics for the Melbourne Stars, Harper kept scoring his runs in rapid fashion.
He raced through the 90s with a top edged six off Couch and then a reverse sweep for four off spinner Corey Rocchiccioli in successive deliveries to reach his milestone.
The gloveman needed only 112 balls to hit his fifth first-class ton after smashing 119 from 109 deliveries in the first innings, including a 27-ball fifty.
He finished unbeaten on 141 from 156 balls as Victoria declared at 4/274, setting Western Australia 468 for victory.
The hosts are 2/26 at stumps with Test star Scott Boland snaring both scalps.
On the third morning, Western Australia’s tail collapsed, losing 5/38 on their way to being dismissed for 238 in reply to Victoria’s 9/431 declared.
Opener Sam Fanning top-scored for the hosts with 99, heartbreakingly falling caught behind off Fergus O’Neill after a juggling effort from first innings centurion Harper, who was keeping up to the stumps.
With the ball, Sam Elliott was the main destroyer with his third five-wicket haul of the summer – taking 5/75 from 15.2 overs.
The towering quick, who is the son of former Australian opening batter Matthew Elliott, is enjoying a remarkable campaign with the red Kookaburra.
The 26-year-old took his wickets tally this season to 28 at an average of 13.75 and a strike rate of 28.96 in five matches.
Victorian skipper Will Sutherland, who scored an unbeaten century in the first innings, picked up 2/33 while Boland took 2/27 from 13 overs.
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Earlier, a stunning collapse ensured Queensland slumped to defeat against South Australia at the Gabba, a result that could have major implications in the race for a Shield final berth.
Queensland lost 6/8 on Wednesday morning to be knocked over for just 119 in their second innings. South Australia were set a target of 91 as a result and knocked it off three down with Test men Alex Carey (19*) and Nathan McSweeney (17*) seeing them home.
South Australian quick Nathan McAndrew (5/32) picked up his 13th five-wicket haul and was on a hat-trick at one point when he dismissed Hayden Kerr and Mitch Swepson in successive deliveries.
Queensland’s bottom five contributed only one run to the team total as Kerr, Swepson and Tom Straker were sent on their way for ducks, while Michael Neser was caught behind by Australian Test gloveman Alex Carey for one and No.11 Jem Ryan finished unbeaten on zero.
The Queensland scorecard did not make for pretty reading at the top of the order either.
The hosts fell to 3/10 with Test batters Usman Khawaja (4) and Marnus Labuschagne (2) dismissed cheaply.
Lachlan Hearne (53) and Hugh Weigben (34) were the only Queenslanders to reach double figures in the second innings.
In a low scoring match, Queensland made 185 in their first innings after being sent in to bat off the back wicket-keeper Jimmy Peirson’s 52.
Reigning champions South Australia tallied 214 in reply courtesy of 74 from Jake Lehmann.
Queensland clung onto second place on the Shield table despite the loss.
But South Australia are less than a point behind them, and the winner of the Tasmania versus New South Wales clash will also be nipping at their heels with two matches remaining before the final.
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In Hobart, Test opener Jake Weatherald fell five runs short of his first century of the summer.
The left-hander was trapped lbw by Joel Davies on 95.
It was his first half-century since the Gabba Test in the Ashes, and also came against the pink ball.
Tasmania were 3/209 when Weatherald was dismissed, still trailing by 11 runs.
New South Wales were all out for 356 earlier on day three with wicket-keeper Josh Philippe top scoring with 81.
While opener Will Salzmann made 73 and Sam Konstas chipped in with 27.
There was drama for both teams before the start of the day’s play with Jack Edwards being subbed out of the game overnight with a hamstring injury.
Edwards was unbeaten on 46 and has been replaced by young quick Charlie Anderson, who makes his first-class debut.
Tasmania have also made a change, substituting Gabe Bell for Aiden O’Connor.
The move had an immediate impact with O’Connor picking up Joel Davies (4) in the first over of the day.
Tasmania were all out for 136 in their first innings with Liam Hatcher (5/51) doing the bulk of the damage.
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