Siddle shines with county half-century at Essex

Australian veteran Peter Siddle is used to winning plaudits for his exploits with the ball, but it was his efforts with the bat that caught the eye in England's County Championship this week.

Siddle registered his highest ever score for Essex when he dug his county side out of a hole on his way to a gritty 60 during their drawn match against Yorkshire that finished on Thursday.

It was the first time that Siddle has made it past fifty in a first-class match since May 2015 and just the second occasion the Ashes hopeful has reached the batting milestone since he scored a century for Australia A against Scotland six years ago.

Siddle’s run-scoring feats in the lower order peaked in 2013 when he posted twin half-centuries in a Test against India in Delhi, top-scoring for Australia in both innings, having posted two Shield fifties in the preceding home summer. And two months after the Delhi Test, he posted an unbeaten century against the Scots in Edinburgh, his highest career score coming in the lead-up to the 2013 Ashes series.

But since that golden nine-month period, which yielded four fifties and a century in just 18 innings, he had gone past 50 just once 115 attempts at first-class level before this week (although he did slam a quickfire 62 in a one-day game against Queensland in 2017).

Siddle's 119-ball stay at the crease included three fours and two towering sixes as the experienced paceman put on 86 with No.11 Sam Cook (37no) for the final wicket and the duo batted Yorkshire out of the rain-affected contest. 

But it was during the final session of the third day that Siddle really showed his determination as both teams were forced off the ground because of bad light, before play resumed and the veteran successfully negotiated the second new ball and helped his side edge past the follow-on score.

"I was half asleep on the bench in there watching the India game (against South Africa at the World Cup)," Siddle told Essex Cricket.

"I didn’t think we would get back on … it was just about trying to hold up an end and see where we can get with the score.

"At first it was just about surviving the night and seeing how we go, but I was lucky enough to get a few away and as we got closer (to the follow-on mark) they probably gave me a few opportunities at different times to take a chance.

"It was one of those days where I lasted, where as some other days I could have gone quite cheaply."

Siddle's heroics also allowed Essex to register a second batting point and keeps them in fourth place on the Division One table nearing the halfway point of the 2019 season.

Cook, who also posted his highest ever county score during the contest, was full of praise for Siddle and believes their partnership was pivotal in helping Essex escape with a draw.

"Peter Siddle batted unbelievably well. Coming into our partnership, it was the crunch point," Cook said.

"It could have gone either way having lost a few wickets for not many runs. It was nice to be able to swing the momentum back our way."

Siddle is aiming to play in a sixth Ashes series against England later this year and his red-ball form at Essex is likely to serve as the best indicator to his chances.

Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK 2019

Tour match: Australia v Australia A, Hampshire, July 23-26

First Test: August 1-5 at Edgbaston, Birmingham

Tour match: Australia v Worcestershire, August 7-9

Second Test: August 14-18 at Lord's, London

Third Test: August 22-26 at Headingley, Leeds

Tour match: Australia v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester

Fifth Test: September 12-16 at The Oval, London