Bird flies high, Marsh misses out

Shaun Marsh registered his third consecutive duck in first-class cricket and Jackson Bird took six wickets as Australia's Test players had mixed results on their return to Bupa Sheffield Shield cricket for the start of the final round.

After the Alcohol Think Again Western Warriors won the toss and elected to bat in their clash with NSW Blues at Canberra's Manuka Oval, Marsh lasted just two balls before collecting a third nought in what was a horror day for the visitors, who were dismantled by the Blues to be all out for 82.

Former Test player Marcus North also collected a second-ball duck as NSW paceman Doug Bollinger – who was in the Ashes Test squad for the final three Tests of the Australian summer – picked up 4-28 while Josh Hazlewood claimed 4-14 from 8.4 overs.

Australia's No.1 Test spinner Nathan Lyon was also amongst the wickets early, his first two overs yielding a maiden and the wicket of Sam Whiteman, caught by Baggy Green team-mate Steve Smith, before he also snared Ashton Turner, caught by Ryan Carters for 25.

In reply, NSW were 4-127 at stumps, with Test No.5 Steve Smith (48) top-scoring for the home side.

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Phil Hughes was in blistering form prior to being called up to the Australia Tour of South Africa, where he did not play, and made just nine from 12 balls in the West End Redbacks’ match against Tasmania Tigers in Hobart.

It was Tasmanian Bird who stole the show however, with the paceman snatching 6-50 to further enhance his credentials and put a severe dent in South Australia's hopes of reaching the Shield final, with the Redbacks bowled out for 212. 

Proceedings didn't all go Tasmania's way however, with former Test batsman Ed Cowan dismissed early on in the innings for one, and incumbent No.3 Alex Doolan (2) departing soon after to leave the score at 2-16.

Mark Cosgrove (83 not out) and Ben Dunk (54 not out) then launched an impressive counter to put the Tigers in the box seat at 2-145 at the close of play.

At the MCG, the cellar-dwelling Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers had struggled to 8-197 at stumps, with former ODI batsman David Hussey top-scoring with 58 and XXXX Queensland Bulls' allrounder James Hopes taking 4-35.

John Hastings (50) and Jon Holland (8) were the not out batsmen for the Bushrangers.

WA (26 points), SA (26 points), NSW (26 points) and Queensland (22 points) can all reach the Shield final.

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Teams

Tasmanian Tigers: Tim Paine (c), Jackson Bird, Luke Butterworth, Mark Cosgrove, Ed Cowan, Xavier Doherty, Alex Doolan, Ben Dunk, Andrew Fekete, Evan Gulbis, Ben Hilfenhaus, Beau Webster.

West End Redbacks: Andrews, Cooper, Ferguson, Head, Hughes (c), Klinger, Lawford, Ludeman, McDonald, Mennie, Putland, Raphael, Richardson, Sayers.

Alcohol Think Again Western Warriors: Adam Voges (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Ryan Duffield, Marcus Harris, Michael Hogan, Shaun Marsh, Marcus North, Nathan Rimmington, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman.

NSW Blues: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters, Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Peter Nevill, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Ben Rohrer.

Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers: Matthew Wade (c), Fawad Ahmed, Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, John Hastings, Jon Holland, David Hussey, Rob Quiney, Clint McKay, Jake Reed, Dean Russ, Marcus Stoinis.

XXXX Queensland Bulls: James Hopes (c), Cameron Boyce, Joe Burns, Luke Feldman, Peter Forrest, Cameron Gannon, Chris Hartley, Usman Khawaja, Chris Lynn, Ali McDermott, Michael Neser, Luke Pomersbach/Dom Michael.