Ageless Siddle eyeing the end as historic milestone looms

Peter Siddle remains adamant this is his farewell summer in top-level cricket despite another evergreen Sheffield Shield bowling performance against South Australia today that sees him on the cusp of a near-100-year-old benchmark.

Siddle was the stand-out among the seven bowlers deployed today, with 3-44 from 18 immaculate overs including his 250th Shield wicket for Victoria when he tilted back SA all-rounder Liam Scott's off-stump with the second new ball.

Claiming the Victoria hierarchy "look after me" by handing him first use of the ball and pitch, Siddle admits he felt a much younger man in his dominant early spell before SA reached stumps 9-286.

At 39 years 342 days, Siddle became the oldest pace bowler in 95 years to send down the opening over of a Sheffield Shield match.

New South Wales' Harry Dupain was a sprightly 40 years 85 days when he took the new ball in his first (and last) Shield appearance against Queensland at Brisbane's Exhibition Ground in November 1929.

And the most senior quick to open proceedings at Shield level remains former Test player – and ex-Australia baseball representative – Frank Laver who was 41 years 55 days when he did so ahead of Victoria and Test teammate Warwick Armstrong at the SCG in January 1911.

Laver played just one more first-class match after that appearance, in which he was relegated to second in the bowling order, with his retirement potentially hastened by having to deliver 53 eight-ball overs in his penultimate match.

Siddle concedes he will play more white-ball games than first-class this summer, and was essentially filling-in for this game because of depleted bowling stocks including regular quick Sam Elliott being rested.

"Last year  … Scotty (Boland) and I sort of rotated and if he was out, I played whereas this year it's more if I'm needed, I'll play," Siddle said at day's end.

"I think I'll play a lot more one-day cricket, the young guys have played enough cricket now we've got to give them more opportunities.

"I enjoy red-ball so it is nice to be back out here, but I'm sure I'll play far less red-ball this season than the past."

Siddle, who in the absence of other regular Victoria pace bowlers Boland and Fergus O'Neill (Australia A selection) was playing his first Shield match since March this year, gave no hint he was on the verge of his 40th birthday when he took up the attack.

After his skipper Will Sutherland sent SA into bat, the 67-Test veteran's initial five-over spell was typically unrelenting as he conceded just five runs as rival openers Henry Hunt and Conor McInerney kept him doggedly at bay.

"He's always been a handful for us," Hunt said of Siddle after top-scoring for SA with 62.

"A few of the boys were saying he just takes wickets against us all the time.

"He's always asking you questions with the bat I find him a handful to face with the new ball and I was lucky enough he didn't find the outside edge of mine today."

Operating in tandem with 23-year-old new-ball partner Cam McClure, in just his 10th first-class outing, the complementary if contrasting duo sent down seven maidens from their first 10 overs that cost a combined 11 runs.

But it was Siddle's second spell immediately after lunch that changed the day's complexion, when he snared two key wickets in the space of three deliveries and might well have found himself staring at another memorable hat-trick.

After SA number three Daniel Drew pinched a rare boundary by guiding Siddle's second ball after the break past gully, he was removed when he tried to repeat the measure next delivery.

It broke a useful 50-run stand that had enabled SA to wrestle back some ascendancy after a hard-fought first session, and Siddle might have had another next ball if his full-throated lbw shout against Jake Lehmann was upheld.

It took just one more delivery for the ageing warrior to get his man when he again hit a troublesome length that saw Lehmann stuck on the crease and pushing skittishly forward only to edge a catch to keeper Sam Harper with SA 3-66.

That position could have been further strengthened if Tom Rogers had held a chance diving forward at mid-wicket off Test keeper Alex Carey when he was on seven and SA 3-85.

Carey (44) and Hunt (62) forged a crucial 69-run stand for the fourth wicket before Hunt was smartly caught at slip and then Siddle proved his all-round value by holding a catch on the deep backward square rope to remove Carey.

When he returned for a third spell midway through the day, Siddle found himself locking horns with 23-year-old rival batter Thomas Kelly who was aged four when Siddle made his Victoria debut in 2005.

It was useful hands from Kelly (30), Scott (53), Shield debutant Henry Thornton (22) and Ben Manenti (20) that lifted SA from a precarious 5-159 to 9-286 at stumps.

With his 40th birthday less than four weeks away (November 25), Siddle appears set to become the first player since ex-Test skipper Allan Border to play on at Shield level beyond that milestone occasion.

After his three summers with Tasmania, which yielded 47 Shield wickets at 27.09, Siddle returned to Victoria ostensibly to act as mentor for the cohort of young quicks coach Chris Rogers has assembled.

But even as representative opportunities and workload management stretches those resources, the history-making warhorse has ruled out emulating England seamer James Anderson who called time on his playing days this year shortly before he turned 42.

"I'm definitely done, end of the summer I'm done," he said.

"Standing out in the field I probably think 'what the hell am I doing out here' but ss soon as I get the ball in my hand I want to keep bowling.

"I think I could always say that for a long time but there's only so much time you can spend in training and in meetings, and then out in the field.

"I still love it, and what probably keeps me fresh is playing alongside all these young guys and seeing how much they enjoy it and see them develop.

"My time's done, try and put in a few more good games and see how we finish up at the end of the year – it would be nice to win one of the trophies before I'm done."