New South Wales young brigade offer hope of lifting the gloom
Nathan McAndrew led the way with the ball as he claimed four wickets
AAP
14-Mar-2023
Ryan Hackney put in a good hand at the top of the order • Getty Images
New South Wales 6 for 299 (Hackney 78, J Edwards 64*, Gilkes 60, McAndrew 4-72) vs South Australia
New South Wales' youngsters led the way as the winless Blues built a solid first-innings platform on day one of their Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.
A much-changed NSW side forced their way to 6 for 299 at stumps in the final-round fixture at Karen Rolton Oval. They ended the day in the ascendancy thanks to a century stand for the fifth wicket between Jack Edwards and Matthew Gilkes.
Edwards, 22, counter-attacked with a 75-ball 64 not out in a knock that included 10 boundaries and a six.
The 21-year-old Gilkes was more judicious, having come in at a shaky 4 for 144, compiling 60 off 120 balls before falling lbw to Wes Agar in the final minutes of the day, ending the partnership on 115.
Earlier, inexperienced opener Ryan Hackney, 23, made a career-best 78 in his fifth Shield outing.
The showing from NSW's youngsters partly overshadowed Nathan McAndrew's performance with the ball. He returned 4 for 72 to be closing in on his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.
McAndrew knocked over debutant opener Blake MacDonald and Jason Sangha in the morning session, and followed up with the wicket of new captain Moises Henriques after the break. Henriques has taken charge following the dropping of Kurtis Patterson.
Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson picked up the other wicket, with Ollie Davies dismissed just before tea for 24.
Seeking to avoid a first-ever winless campaign in a 10-match season, NSW went into the contest having made numerous changes.