Young opener fires to keep Redbacks in the Hunt

A mature Henry Hunt century has rescued South Australia from a disastrous collapse as teammate and Ashes aspirant Travis Head missed a chance to stake his claim for a Test recall.

The young opener impressed again with his second hundred of the season, showing the composure many have come to expect from the 24-year-old as the wickets tumbled around him in bowler friendly conditions at Blundstone Area.

Hunt and Redbacks captain Head resumed day two of the Marsh Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania on Thursday morning with South Australia on 2-27 after most of day one was washed out due to persistent rain in Hobart.

Ashes Test hopeful Head (14) couldn’t capitalise on his recent run of form, only adding nine to his overnight score before succumbing to a cracker of a delivery from young quick Lawrence Neil-Smith (2-60) that seamed in and took the top of the stumps.

It will come as blow for the SA skipper as he tries to reclaim his spot in Australia’s middle-order, especially after Queensland’s Usman Khawaja peeled off a stylish 70 at number four as the West Australian quicks ripped through the Bulls on day one at the Gabba.

Head, who pushed a little hard at the delivery, perhaps in his eagerness to get a score and impress Aussie selectors, now has 285 runs at 47.5 in six Shield knocks this season.

Meanwhile, former Test number three Khawaja has 396 at 79.2 in five hits, with the pair, along with Nic Maddinson (250 at 83.3) and incumbent Matthew Wade among a handful of players vying for a spot in the first Ashes Test.

Alex Carey, another South Australian who has fallen out of favour with national selectors, also came and went when he wafted loosely outside the off stump and fell to a sharp low chance at point off veteran Peter Siddle.

The Redbacks’ middle order got the wobbles when Harry Nielsen went for a duck caught at third slip also off the bowling of Siddle, before tall allrounder Liam Scott and Hunt steadied to negotiate the rest of the opening session to leave the Redbacks 5-111 at lunch, with the composed opener scoring 61 of those.

The right-hander mixed controlled aggression with a watchful eye outside the off stump as he continued his resistance after the break.

He put on 65 with Scott for the sixth wicket, but when the 20-year-old fell to off-spinner Jarrod Freeman, it signalled another mini-collapse that left the visitors eight down as Hunt approached his century.

Daniel Worrall resisted his natural instincts to help get the opener to the milestone on the stroke of tea before Hunt opened the shoulders, including back-to-back sixes off Neil-Smith, in a last wicket partnership of 28 with David Grant (0no).

He was eventually dismissed for his highest Shield score of 134 off 236 balls looking to tonk Freeman into the River Derwent, almost single-handedly taking the Redbacks to a respectable first-innings total of 220.

It was Hunt’s fifth first-class century in 37 innings, and perhaps his finest, showing he’ll be one to watch for the future if others aren’t able to nail down the vacant Test openers spot.

“It was probably one of my better (hundreds). I’ve worked quite hard over the winter so it’s nice to see the rewards come through,” Hunt said after day two.

“(The focus) was just to keep it as simple as I can, leave well, defend well, and then attack in the zones that are my strengths.”

It was slow going for the Tasmanian top order during an extended evening session as the Redbacks seamers went to work in what were still bowler friendly conditions at Blundstone Arena.

Swinger Worrall made the early breakthrough when Caleb Jewell edged to third slip before Tim Ward (29) and Charlie Wakim (68) dug in for the home side.

But both fell to Nathan McAndrew as stumps loomed as the Redbacks wrestled back the momentum to have Tasmania 3-102 at the close of play.

Retired Test quick Siddle, who was the pick of the Tigers bowlers with 4-42 from 24 miserly overs, said it was disappointing to lose the two late wickets.

“Not a bad position, one less wicket would have been nice,” the 36-year-old said.

“It was a good innings by (Wakim) to be able to come in and move the game forward at a decent pace when it was hard to score for us.”

Play is again scheduled to resume 30 minutes earlier at 10am on Friday after just 15.1 overs were possible on day one.

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Tour Matches

Nov 23-25: England v England Lions, Brisbane

Nov 30 – Dec 3: England v England Lions, Brisbane

Dec 1-3: Australian intra-squad match, Brisbane

Dec 9-12: Australia A v England Lions, Brisbane

Tests

First Test: December 8-12, The Gabba

Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Perth Stadium