Neser boosts Ashes hopes with four-for against South Australia

Michael Neser has continued his hot start to the summer with he and Mitchell Swepson taking four wickets each to bowl South Australia out for 228.

The Bulls went to stumps on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at 0-26 in reply to South Australia, with Usman Khawaja not out 22 at Adelaide Oval.

Almost the forgotten man in the great pace-bowling debate ahead of the Ashes, Neser ripped the heart out of Tasmania with 4-75 in the opening round.

And he backed it up again on Wednesday with 4-30, after South Australia had done well to build a base of 2-133.

After taking the top of Nathan McSweeney's off stump when the right-hander left a ball after lunch, Neser claimed the Bulls' last three wickets on day one.

He first had a pulling Wes Agar caught at slip, edged off a driving Liam Scott for 44 and also had Jordan Buckingham caught behind.

While the wickets came late in the innings for Neser, it still won't have hurt his push to add to his two Tests for Australia.

Scott Boland is all but certain to replace Pat Cummins for the first Test if Australia's captain does not recover from a back injury in time.

But Neser could well be the next option if Cummins does not return for later in the series and one of Australia's quicks needs resting.

That situation appears even more serious after fellow-hopeful Sean Abbott split the webbing on his bowling hand while playing for NSW on Wednesday.

While Neser's wickets could have Ashes implications, former Test spinner Swepson was the pick of the bowlers for Queensland on day one.

He took four wickets in South Australia's collapse from 2-133 to 7-188, including the crucial wicket of Conor McInerny lbw for 60.

The legspinner also had Jason Sangha well caught by Khawaja close to the ground at slip, before the in-form Jake Lehmann hit him straight to square leg.

Swepson's fourth scalp came when Nathan McAndrew drove him on the up to cover, capping a fine day for the Queenslander with figures of 4-50.

Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Victoria Men VIC	6	5	1	0	0	0	5.87	5.3	41.17
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	6	2	2	2	0	0	8.18	4.2	26.38
3 South Australia Men SA	6	2	2	2	0	0	4.69	5.6	24.29
4 NSW Men NSW	6	2	3	1	0	0	4.65	4.9	22.55
5 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	6	2	3	1	0	2	3.34	5	19.34
6 Western Australia Men WA	6	1	3	2	0	0	1.61	5.5	15.11

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points