Sheffield Shield wrap, Michael Neser dominates Vics with bat and ball, Marcus Harris

Test hopeful Marcus Harris’ double misses in his first red-ball match of the season have given opening rival Matthew Renshaw an early advantage in what could prove an intriguing contest to replace David Warner when he will take off his baggy green for the last time this summer.

After watching Cameron Bancroft open the Shield season with a century and then Renshaw follow up against the Victorian bowlers at Mackay, Harris managed just a duck and 10 in his two innings as he returned to cricket after birth of her first child.

With Warner signaling his intention to retire from Test cricket after the three-match series against Pakistan, the door is wide open for the best-performing opener to take his place.

Watch every match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup live on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >

Warner has labeled Harris, who toured with the Australians during the Ashes, as the likelier man, but runs remain cricket’s biggest currency and he will have to wait for his next chance to impress with the Vics heading for defeat after the Queensland all-rounder. Michael Neser played with a bat and a ball.

Looking to add to his two Test matches, Neser smashed 13 boundaries, including four sixes, on his way to 90 as he and Jack Clayton, who notched his second first-class hundred, put on 155 for the sixth wicket to put Victoria on the field. on the verge of a round defeat.

In his last 10 first-class innings, Neser made 696 runs at 87 with three centuries and three fifties, with no Australian averaging more over that period.

Neser opened the bowling and struck in less than 12 balls, the wickets fell, with spinner Mitch Swepson taking 3-14 to leave Victoria reeling at 7-104 in their second innings, needing 144 to avoid defeat in the inning after the Bulls earlier declared their first inning at 9-501.

Neser, 33, fell just short of what would have been in his fourth first-class century in four consecutive matches, after making a game-saving 140 in Queensland’s first Sheffield Shield match following a superb stint in the Kingdom –United in Glamorgan.

In Perth, Tasmanian captain Jordan Silk continued against Western Australia to hit a career-high 181, the biggest score of the Shield season so far, to put the Tigers in the driving seat with a score of 439 in first round.

Resuming the second day on 99, Silk had to be patient before notching his 11th first-class century, before continuing in very contrasting partnerships with Jarrod Freeman (30 off 14) and Lawrence Neil-Smith (23 off 82).

Test prospect Lance Morris was handled neatly with just 19 from 135 overs, claiming 2-55, including removing in-form opener Caleb Jewell for a golden duck after grabbing his outside edge first day.

Silk said Sunday night that he hoped the field would break up as the match progressed, calling it unusually flat for a WACA deck.

“I hope (it gets) more difficult (for the hitters) as the game goes on. This is a very different type of WACA wicket than we have been used to in the past. I don’t think I’ve seen so many fielders in front of the square on a first day wicket at the WACA,” he said.

“It’s different conditions, hopefully from our point of view we’ll see a bit of breaking of that wicket and get our bowlers like (Jarrod) Freeman and our seamers into the game.”

It didn’t get any tougher for the WA openers as they guided their team to 0-63 at tea.

The South Australian Quicks took control on day two of the Redbacks’ clash against NSW at the Adelaide Oval, reducing the Blues to 183 after posting 293 on day one.

Nathan McAndrew took five wickets while Wes Agar ran through crucial Blues Kurtis Patterson (4) and Moises Henriques (0) to give his side the upper hand.

In-form all-rounder Jack Edwards shouldered his arms in front of a McAndrew clipper which clipped his stump, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Redbacks.

NSW quick Jack Nisbet showed mettle with the bat on his Sheffield Shield debut, contributing to a 20-56-run last-wicket stand with Matthew Gilkes.

But the Redbacks quickly pushed their lead beyond 150, leaving the Blues, who have not tasted victory in a Shield match since February 2022, facing an uphill battle to avoid another defeat.