There were plenty of runs for Test-capped batters on day two as Steve Smith kicked off his summer with a century
Shield watch: Smith shines as former Test batters hit centuries
Steve Smith has made a perfect start to his Ashes build up with Australia's captain for next month's first Test cracking a superb century in his first innings of the Sheffield Shield season.
Smith's 176-ball 118 was one of three centuries on Wednesday as former Test batters Cameron Bancroft (122) and NSW teammate Kurtis Patterson (122) also reached triple figures on day two.
Smith and Patterson put Queensland's under-strength pace attack to the sword as the Blues went to stumps 5-349 and in an almost unlosable position after the entire opening day in Brisbane was washed out.
Sam Konstas' Ashes hopes earlier took another hit when he was bowled by Hayden Kerr for 10 and watched on for the rest of the day as Smith and Patterson put on 202 runs for the third wicket.
Cameron Green was dismissed for a duck on his return for Western Australia, caught at mid-off driving hard at a full delivery from South Australian quick Brendan Doggett (6-48), while incumbent Test allrounder Beau Webster (11) also missed out in his first Shield match of the season after recovering from an ankle injury.
Doggett took three of the first four WA wickets to fall in the first innings and finished with a six-wicket haul as he made a successful return from a hamstring injury in his first red-ball appearance of the domestic season.
Smith took a bit of time to find his rhythm in his first match since the Hundred in August after spending the past two months at his home in New York City.
Australia's Test No.4 required 22 balls to get off the mark after his side were inserted by Queensland skipper Marnus Labuschagne.
But he quickly clicked into top gear with consecutive boundaries through the leg side off debutant quick Sam Skelly to get his home summer off and running and reached his 13th first-class century for NSW from his 158th ball faced.
He added a further 18 runs from 18 balls, including back-to-back fours off James Bazley, before he flashed hard at the next delivery outside the off stump and was caught by Matthew Rensahw in the gully.
"By his own admission he was a little bit scratchy for his first 15 balls," Patterson said at stumps.
"He hadn't hit many balls … until the last week or so. But there was one off his pads off (Tom) Straker and it was like the click of the finger, and he was off and running.
"The bat looked like an extension of his arm again, like it does when he's best.
"So it's great for Australian cricket that he's had that day today."
Smith came to the crease after NSW's experiment with a new opening partner for Sam Konstas paid dividends as allrounder Will Salzmann peeled off 65 in his first innings against the new ball.
The 21-year-old, who top scored in both innings in their season opener (43 and 72), had never batted higher than seven in his nine games for NSW but looked at home as he hit 11 boundaries in his first crack at the top of the order.
After Jake Weatherald nicked off for a duck to Mitch Perry (5-58) late on day one, fellow Ashes aspirant Webster also fell cheaply when he was bowled by a peach from Will Sutherland (2-45) that nipped back between the Tasmanian's bat and pad.
Perry was the pick of the Vics bowlers with his third first-class five-wicket haul to take his tally to 13 for the season.
Riley Meredith, endorsed by former Test captain Tim Paine as an Ashes bolter last week, broke through late on day two after also picking up three wickets in Victoria's first innings.
Meredith had young gun Harry Dixon chopping on for 19 to leave Victoria 1-35 at stumps with a lead of 59 after Tasmania were all out for 232.
"For that next level, he's definitely right up there," said wicketkeeper Jake Doran, who top scored in Tasmania's first innings with 73.
"I feel like 'Riz' (Meredith) this year has a few games under his belt (after) playing overseas in England and he's done really well over there.
"He's managed himself quite well I feel coming into these Shield games – he's bowled express heat when he's needed to, and he's held it back when he's had to as well.
"So he's been a really strong attack bowler for us."
Meanwhile in the west, Bancroft was back to his best as he blunted SA's strong pace attack during a 255-ball vigil in an innings where the next highest score by a WA batter by the time he was dismissed was 33.
Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings
| Team | M | W | L | D | N/R | Ded. | Bat | Bowl | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
VIC
|
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.87 | 5.3 | 41.17 |
|
2
QLD
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.18 | 4.2 | 26.38 |
|
3
SA
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4.69 | 5.6 | 24.29 |
|
4
NSW
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.65 | 4.9 | 22.55 |
|
5
TAS
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3.34 | 5 | 19.34 |
|
6
WA
|
6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.61 | 5.5 | 15.11 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points