Neser stars on frantic wicket-filled opening day

A spectacular Michael Neser opening spell has inspired a Queensland comeback against Victoria on a dramatic day of Sheffield Shield action at the MCG. 

The top-of-the-table Victorians rolled Queensland for 149 in 60 overs, before the Australian quick led the Bulls response as the hosts collapsed to 5-11, ending the day at 7-61. 

Neser's seven-over first spell included four maidens, three wickets and conceded just three runs, as the Queenslander dismissed Campbell Kellaway (1), debutant Dylan Brasher (2) and Mitchell Perry (0).

Playing in his 120th first-class match, the 35-year-old ended with figures of 3-9 off 9 overs at stumps.

This performance follows Neser's 4-45 at the same venue during the first innings of the 2025 NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test against England.

Tom Straker (2-24), Jem Ryan (1-9) and Hayden Kerr (1-13) all picked up wickets in the final session to pile the pain on Victoria.

To make matters worse for the hosts, Tom Rogers did not come out to bat after he looked to have broken his finger while taking a catch to dismiss Tom Straker in Queensland's first innings. He was substituted out of the match and replaced by Harry Dixon, who made five.

Earlier in the day, Sam Elliott took 4-43 in a standout performance for the home team, including the prized wicket of Queensland captain, Marnus Labuschagne.

Elliott’s four-wicket haul marks the third time this season the Victorian has taken four or more wickets in a Sheffield Shield innings.

The 25-year-old has now picked up 20 wickets across four matches in the 2025-2026 competition, at an average of 13.45 and an economy of 2.61.

After sending the Bulls into bat, Peter Handscomb’s men beat the bat on multiple occasions, but could not find a breakthrough in the first hour of play.

Returning to first-class cricket for the first time since his final Test match for Australia, Usman Khawaja (19) was the first man dismissed after he was bowled by Perry in the 21st over.

Khawaja’s dismissal ended a 47-run opening stand with Hugo Burdon, and brought Australian Test No.3 Labuschagne to the crease.

Having already made 402 runs (and two centuries) across six innings in this season’s competition, the Queensland skipper made his way to 10 before he was trapped in front by Elliott to give Victoria their second wicket in the first session.

Hugh Weibgen joined Burdon in the middle and the pair took Queensland to lunch at 2-77.

Both Queenslanders then fell in consecutive overs after the break, with Fergus O’Neill removing Weigben (4), before Burdon (43) became Elliott’s second victim of the day.

Victoria made it three wickets in three overs after Lachlan Hearne (2) shouldered arms to an O’Neill delivery that rattled his stumps, as Queensland lost 3-2 in 13 balls, slumping to 5-85.

Neser was one of three wickets for David Moody (3-24) as Kerr and Jimmy Peirson also fell to the 30-year-old paceman.

Elliott then claimed the final two wickets of the innings as Queensland were dismissed on the tea break.

Victoria will resume batting on Friday hoping to avoid their lowest score in a Sheffield Shield innings since 2022 (63), which also happened to be against Queensland, when Neser picked up 4-22 at Allan Border Field.

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