The dashing Redbacks batter survived on 19 when the umpire overturned his caught-behind call to post his maiden first-class century
Match Report:
ScorecardRare reprieve sees Fraser-McGurk's dream come true
As if Jake Fraser-McGurk's career-best innings wasn't sufficiently tormenting for his former home state, Victoria were forced to see their one-time prodigy reprieved through a rare umpiring mea culpa before breaking through for his maiden Marsh Sheffield Shield century today.
Fraser-McGurk left Melbourne after struggling to find opportunities last year, and has flourished in his new colours for South Australia having belted a world record Marsh One-Day Cup century (off 29 balls) early this summer and now finally boasts a triple-figure score at first-class level.
His 101 rescued the Redbacks from a perilous 4-16 to finish their first innings just 26 in arrears, before Victoria lost aspiring Test opener Marcus Harris shortly before stumps to complete a compelling second day at Adelaide Oval where 16 wickets fell for the addition of 350 runs.
Fraser-McGurk was on 19 and SA 4-60 when he aimed an unsuccessful drive at a full, wide ball from left-arm spinner Doug Warren that appeared to deflect from 'keeper Sam Harper's gloves before being claimed as a low catch by Peter Handscomb at slip.
Handscomb had been aggrieved on day one when adjudged out to a disputed low catch in the cordon, and seemed happy to see the SA batter on his way despite Fraser-McGurk's clear confusion as to why umpire Mike Graham-Smith's finger had been raised.
But having lingered at the crease before beginning his walk to the dressing room, Fraser-McGurk was suddenly reinstated as the official reflected on the errant call and reversed his decision to dramatically change the game's narrative.
"I missed it by probably three feet, it spun a fair bit and I think it came off Sam Harper's glove before Peter Handscomb caught it," Fraser-McGurk revealed at day's end.
"Sometimes they (opposition teams) are just like 'yay' … and it could have been not a serious appeal, but then the umpire's starting to nod his head and I was a bit in disbelief.
"So I started walking off, then seconds later he (Graham-Smith) changes his decision and the Vic boys weren't too happy with that because they think they had a few unlucky decisions.
"But that's the game, and in the end it was the right umpiring call and that's what you want."
On a day when Victoria's 'keeper-batter Harper grabbed a place in history with a blazing 150 and their veteran quick Peter Siddle enshrined himself among the game's elites, it was their home-grown if previously unfulfilled batting talent who emerged the biggest grinner.
When Fraser-McGurk realised a career dream with a smartly run single off Warren, his crowning moment was met with standing and sustained applause in the SA team dug-out but only a few perfunctory claps from his former teammates.
There was a few more acts of acclaim among the rival camp next over, albeit tinged with relief after the 21-year-old tried to swipe Fergus O'Neill over midwicket only to sky a catch to mid-off.
And while that stroke bore close resemblance to a couple of the miscues from early in his innings that flew over slips before being gifted a second chance by the umpire, Fraser-McGurk's breakthrough innings was largely characterised by admirable temperament and judicious shot-making.
Indeed, the only other mis-hit in the latter half of his 106-ball stay was the slapped drive off Siddle that smashed into umpire Graham-Smith's leg at the non-striker's end, a misfortune that cost Fraser-McGurk runs but led him to peel off three successive boundaries from the ageless quick.
Next over, he unfurled the shot of the day with a lofted check-drive back over long-time mate Perry's head for a stunning straight six, holding his pose after contact to let his friend share in the stroke's aesthetic value.
"There's been some messages floating around before this game between him and me, so that was pretty satisfying," said Fraser-McGurk, whose previous highest Shield score of 51 came in his maiden innings for Victoria against Queensland four years ago.
"I've dreamed of this moment, going to bed and watching other people make hundreds and thinking 'I wish that could be me'.
"So when I was on about 86 or 87, I was like 'oh, do not mess this up'.
"I was putting some pressure on myself there, but luckily I hit a few boundaries away and then hit singles to get to the hundred when a few of the (Victoria) boys were saying 'look at that gap over cow corner' because they know me so well."
Fraser-McGurk also acknowledged he had taken some inspiration from ex-teammate Harper's innings given both went to the wicket with their teams in dire strife, and played with a lack of inhibition despite the game situation.
"When I was in Victoria there was a lot of times when I'd be more nervous to go out there and bat, and be a bit hesitant with the shot-making and not being as committed to a shot which can lead to your downfall," he said.
"So having a process I've worked on with the coaches over here, and sticking by that and trusting it 100 per cent has really helped me this year and I feel like I'm in the best place I've been throughout my career."
At day's outset, Harper stepped up the onslaught he aimed at SA's bowlers on a rain-affected opening day and blasted the second-fastest 150 recorded in the Shield competition which accounted for more than half Victoria's total of 278.
The diminutive 26-year-old posted his maiden first-class 150 from just 99 balls faced (strewn with nine sixes and 15 boundaries) at a rate bettered only by former SA great and Victoria coach David Hookes who remains the competition benchmark with a 96-ball 150 at Junction Oval in 1982-83.
Rather like Hookes who went to the wicket that day with his team in strife at 4-48, Harper's historic knock was produced in bowler-friendly conditions and after his top-order colleagues had succumbed to leave Victoria 5-67.
Having been caught at second slip off a Wes Agar no-ball when on three, he was missed again on 133 this morning when Henry Hunt's frantic back-pedalling at deep point only succeeded in parrying the ball beyond the boundary rope for another six.
But Harper could justifiably feel Adelaide Oval owed him some good fortune, given it was the site of the sickening head knock he suffered when struck by current SA skipper Jake Lehmann's while keeping in 2017, which saw him confined to a darkened room for three weeks.
The right-hander showed contempt for the Shield's current leading wicket-taker, advancing two steps down the pitch to club Nathan McAndrew's first delivery of day two over midwicket for six before stepping even further across his stumps to execute an audacious lap later in the same over.
He finally fell for 151, gloving a short ball to rival gloveman Alex Carey who claimed six catches without conceding a bye in his first red-ball outing since this year's Ashes campaign in England.
Harper's innings looked to have landed Victoria in the box seat as O'Neill and Siddle tore through the Redbacks' fragile top-order in 16 overs either side of lunch.
Siddle might have captured his 300th scalp with the second ball of SA's reply when opener Jake Carder sliced a head-high catch to gully but Will Pucovski – fielding close to the bat given the nature of the Adelaide Oval pitch – was unable to clasp the sharp chance.
However, the evergreen seamer – who turned 39 last Saturday – reached the milestone with the first delivery of his fifth over when Carder's opening partner Hunt offered no stroke at a ball that nipped back and grazed the bat before clattering into off-stump.
He thus became the oldest pace bowler to reach 300 Shield wickets, easily eclipsing fellow Victorian Paul Reiffel who was 34 when he joined the select club that now numbers 21 (noting that a significant share of Colin Miller's wickets came courtesy of off-spin when he claimed 300 aged 37).
Siddle is also the first 39-year-old to open the bowling at Shield level since Tasmania's Mark Ridgway during his final summer in 1999-2000, and the ex-Test quick admitted he was delighted to have reached the personal milestone in Victoria colours after a lengthy stint with Tasmania.
"I won't play a helluva lot of cricket over the next couple of years so it was nice to get out there and get a few wickets," Siddle said after finishing with 3-53 from 19 overs.
"A few more in the second dig would be a nice result."
Sheffield Shield 2023-24 standings
| Team | M | W | L | D | N/R | Ded. | Bat | Bowl | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
WA
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5.53 | 9.4 | 47.93 |
|
2
TAS
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.06 | 8.3 | 47.36 |
|
3
NSW
|
10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.31 | 9 | 42.31 |
|
4
VIC
|
10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4.74 | 8.2 | 38.94 |
|
5
SA
|
10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.19 | 9.3 | 33.49 |
|
6
QLD
|
10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.54 | 8.3 | 25.84 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points