History awaits for in-form Queensland pace pair

Pace duo Michael Neser and Mark Steketee are on track to become the first Queensland pair in a generation to each collect 40-plus wickets in the same Marsh Sheffield Shield campaign as they look to guide the Bulls into this season's decider. 

Neser (40 at 16.67) and Steketee (37 at 18.56) currently sit one and two respectively on the Shield wicket-takers list this summer, with the new-ball partners most recently underlining their potency last Saturday when they took four wickets apiece in a South Australian second-innings collapse of 10-50 at the Gabba.

Should Steketee collect three wickets against Tasmania in this week's Shield clash in Hobart, the pair would echo the feats of legendary Bulls Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz, who took 50 and 44 wickets respectively in the 2005-06 season to help the state clinch a sixth Shield title.

And one has to wind the clock back a further five years to find the most recent Queensland pair to finish a Shield season as the top two wicket-takers, something achieved in the 2000-01 summer by Joe Dawes (49 wickets) and Adam Dale (46), while Bichel (40) finished third in what was another title-winning summer for the Bulls. 

At 32, Neser is enjoying the finest Shield campaign of his 62-match career, topping 40 wickets for the first time and striking at a remarkable 40.7. Steketee meanwhile, trails him only by three wickets, and is five away from equalling his best-ever Shield season of 42.

Both men have sailed past the 200-wicket career milestone in the competition this season, with potentially two games still remaining. 

For Neser, the catalyst for a remarkable run of form dates back more than 12 months. 

"I got injured before the Pakistan tour and that was a bit of a spur for me to really focus on my fitness, and for looking after myself," he told cricket.com.au. "Then I bowled and played a lot in the UK with Glamorgan, and when I came back here I was match fit coming into our season.

"From a body perspective, you never feel great as a fast bowler, but I feel like I've been in a really good place."

Across that stretch, the right-armer has played 19 first-class matches – including his second Test match, in which he snared five wickets – and taken 84 wickets at 20.77.

"It's definitely satisfying seeing a lot of hard work pay off – 40 wickets is the mark of a really good season and I think something all Shield bowlers aim for – but hopefully there's still two more games to come," he said. 

"Performance-wise I'm going as well as I was in my younger years, if not better, and I've got that experience under my belt now, and I'm feeling good."

With a round of the regular season remaining, Queensland sit in second position, less than a point ahead of Victoria, with both sides eyeing a spot in the decider against Western Australia in Perth.

The Bulls' take on the Tigers from next Tuesday at Blundstone Arena, where their star pace pair boast impressive records; Steketee's 33 wickets at 17.90 in six Shield matches make it his best venue outside the Gabba, while Neser has played there just three times, but captured 16 wickets at 17.37.

"Going back, me and 'Stek' (Steketee) have bowled pretty well there," Neser added. "It's a crucial game for us, with us and Vic vying for that final spot, so fingers crossed we can emulate what we've done there before.

"Stek's had another great season. He's a very skilful bowler – more than people realise – he swings it and he nips them, and I think he's starting to figure out his own style of bowling.

"He can go between being an express bowler who intimidates the batter with short balls, to someone who can be really skilful and move the ball around.

"He's got a lot of assets in his favour and he can be suitable on all types of wickets; we've had spells from him this season where it's been doing nothing, and he's come in and just teared through a batting order."

Beyond the home summer, Neser will in April head to the UK where he will again link up with Glamorgan, putting his best foot forward with the knowledge Australia will be playing a World Test Championship final in London, and then an Ashes series, once the northern summer arrives.

"I think it's on every domestic cricketer's bucket list to play in a Test on an Ashes tour," he said. "I haven't done it yet, but it's a dream of mine, for sure."