Mitchell Starc has fired an early Ashes warning, taking four wickets on his return to red ball bowling as Victoria reached 7-340 against NSW at the SCG.
Just 11 days out from the first Test in Perth, Starc worked his way through Victoria’s top order on Monday to finish the opening day of the match with 4-91.
Peter Handscomb was Victoria’s best, hitting his second century of the summer before being bowled by Nathan Lyon for 104 late in the day.
Lyon (2-65) also had Marcus Harris caught at bat-pad early, while Josh Hazlewood (0-54) got through his 18 overs unscathed and bowled with good rhythm.
But it was Starc who looked the most dangerous, playing his first Shield match of the summer ahead of an Ashes series where he will again be Australia’s point of difference.
Bowling with genuine speed, Starc was on song early and had Harry Dixon lbw for 20 with one his trademark yorkers that tailed back in at the left-hander.
The left-armer’s battle with Campbell Kellaway was the highlight of the day, in a high-quality first hour of the second session.
Starc struck the Victorian opener on the fingers once, while another ball ballooned off the gloves and just over Steve Smith at second slip.
Kellaway did well to progress to 51, but Starc eventually had his man when the left-hander gloved a ball down the leg side to wicketkeeper Josh Philippe.
Oliver Peake came and went quickly, superbly caught by Kurtis Patterson when he crunched his third ball from Starc to gully.
And while there was a hint of the BazBall approach from Victoria and Sam Harper (54) after tea, Starc withstood the onslaught and prevailed.
Harper hooked Starc for one six deep into the Brewongle Stand and pulled him for another towards the Members Pavillion.
But after the Victorian took 22 runs from the first five balls of a Starc over to bring up his half-century, the left-armer had him caught on the mid-wicket boundary.
Starc bowled 18 overs in total, playing his first red ball match since claiming 6-9 in the fourth innings against West Indies in Jamaica in July.
Handscomb showed a calm head throughout.
He made the most of a life after being dropped on nought when he edged Hazlewood to Jack Edwards at slip.
After that, the Victorian was able to accumulate runs, regularly scoring behind the wicket and producing a fine cover-driven four off Sean Abbott to get in the groove.
Meanwhile, Australia’s top six for the first Ashes Test became no clearer after Tasmania duo Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster failed to stake compelling claims against South Australia.
South Australia paceman Brendan Doggett, also in the 15-man Ashes squad for Perth, showcased why he is regarded as next cab off the rank for Australia with 5-66 in a superb exhibition of seam bowling on a green Bellerive Oval deck.
Weatherald, hoping to make his Test debut as an opener, fell for 23 in Tasmania’s total of 209 after being sent in to bat.
Allrounder Webster has been superb in his opening seven Tests for Australia but his desire to hang onto his No.6 position in Perth next week was not enhanced by his knock of 13.
The 31-year-old missed a month of cricket at the start of the summer with a calf injury and made just 11 and six in his only other Shield clash this season.
His chances of featuring in the Australia side for the first Test in Perth could depend on whether selectors opt to bat Weatherald or Marnus Labuschagne as an opener. If it is the latter then Webster would stay at No.6 with fellow allrounder Cameron Green likely slotting in at No.3.
Weatherald dispatched Liam Scott for back-to-back boundaries and was aiming for a third but chopped an attempted cut shot onto his stumps.
Webster had just struck a fierce pull to the boundary before attempting to hook Henry Thornton. He only succeeded in getting a feather through to Alex Carey.
Tasmania skipper Jordan Silk brought up his 6000th Shield run in his innings of 64.
Silk was severe through the off side and brought up his 50 with a rollicking slap through point off Nathan McAndrew straight after he had caressed a cover drive to the boundary.
Doggett dismissed Silk with a full delivery that moved off the seam and was brilliantly caught by a diving Carey. He then ripped through the lower order for his second five-wicket haul of the Shield season.
South Australia were 3-88 at stumps. Australia No.5 batter Travis Head made just nine before falling to Webster.
Carey had raced to an unbeaten 25 off just 20 balls and will resume on Tuesday alongside Henry Hunt (34no).
Australian chairman of selectors George Bailey said there was “still some information to gather” from the fourth round of the Sheffield Shield before settling on the playing 11 against England.
Bailey said Weatherald, who was aggressive in his knock on Monday, had the approach Australia’s brains trust admired.
“There is a method (about his batting) that we like and that is complementary to the other players around him in the squad,” Bailey said.
“We have been chatting a lot to Jake. He has been in quite a few (Australia) A teams and there has been a lot of communication with him throughout the summer. The feedback has always been to keep doing it his way.
“That is what is attractive to us, that he scores at a nice rate and puts bad balls away. He is aggressive with his outlook without being over the top.”
© AAP