Street fighter thrives in bruising Shield encounter

Bruised by Mitchell Starc and worked over by Nathan Lyon, there may not be another player who has benefited more from the extended availability of Australia’s Test stars this season than Bryce Street.

The only member of Queensland's formidable top order who has not played Test cricket, Street survived what he described as the toughest bowling of his career in a pressure-laden 203-ball knock that helped wear out NSW's bowling attack in the Marsh Sheffield Shield final.

An innings of 46 will rarely make headlines and while his contribution might be overlooked by those who look back the scorecard of the 2020-21 Shield final in decades to come, it was a crucial first step towards the Bulls setting up an imposing first-innings lead.

This is Street's third match this season against Starc and Lyon, yet the five-day decider has still been an eye-opener for the fiercely determined but still wet-behind-the-ears left-hander.

After copping a blow to the upper body from Starc during a tense period before stumps on day one, the speedster advised him "the next one will be at your badge," referring to the Queensland emblem on his helmet.

"We knew it was going to be hard going into that first night – but I wouldn't have thought it was going to be that hard," Street told cricket.com.au on Saturday morning.

"They bowled some serious spells there. That's the most testing bowling I've faced in Shield cricket, I reckon. There was no reprieve, there were no easy spells, they just kept coming and coming."

Image Id: 4CE7A3FABB3C4E9EB6B2869A409C3C3A Image Caption: Street copped a thorough examination from the NSW bowlers // cricket.com.au

Street added he has a few bruises to show from his duels with Starc.

"My arm's been a bit sore the last few days as well," he said. "But it's all in good sport, great competition.

"Pace-wise you don't see something like that every day in Shield cricket. It's a great experience to see what that next level is like in Test cricket.

"He's hit me a couple of times but I'm trying not to let him get me out because then he'll have the rub of the green on me."

Lyon, who eventually got Street out for 46 on day two after a 127-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, tried everything he could to lure the left-hander out of his comfort zone.

The off-spinner also repeatedly tried to engage Street in conversation while he was batting.

"There's nothing I'd love more than to talk to someone who's taken nearly 400 Test wickets," Street quipped to Fox Cricket on Friday, "but I don't want to be dragged out of my comfort zone and I managed to stay in my own little bubble."

Even as Street walked past Lyon as he was warming before play the following day, Lyon was still trying to engage his opponent in some playful banter. Street just hopes he will still up for a chat when the game is over.

"I don't know what he's doing, to be honest," a smiling Street said. "He's a person, as far as I can tell, who likes to be engaged to feel comfortable. I don't want to give him everything his way.

"I know he's taking the piss out of me by saying he won't talk to me after the game, but I definitely will – I hope to anyway. I'm still planning to have a beer with him after the game."

Having survived the searching examination from Test speedsters Starc and Josh Hazlewood late on day one, Street played the perfect foil to Labuschagne the following day.

In an era where batters' techniques are increasingly influenced by T20 cricket, Queensland have empowered Street to stick to his inclination to bat within himself.

The 23-year-old is studying a Bachelor of Mathematics at Queensland University of Technology (which he has deferred for now) so he would be well aware that his career strike-rate of 31.09 puts him in an unusual bracket of old-school, hard-nosed openers.

His strike-rate in this season's Sheffield Shield, 30.61, is the lowest in the competition and scoring rate in his first innings here was 22.66.

"I've never been forced to look to score quicker," Street said. "The team has let me embrace this role as an opener where we look to blunt teams and bat time and let the middle order do the bulk of the scoring while the bowlers are tired in their third and fourth spells.

"I know that can be quite a gritty job for me at times but I'm happy to take it up for the greater good of the team. That's my natural way of playing anyway."

Image Id: 6EECB1330EDB480984ACE65691E7C062 Image Caption: Street plays a rare attacking shot // Getty

Labuschagne believes scoring will only come more naturally to Street as he gains confidence.

"I don't think it's about developing more scoring shots, (but) it's more about being able to execute when they get into my areas," Street explained.

"There were a few moments (on day two) when I got tied down purely because I wasn't capitalising on getting dished up a half volley. All of a sudden (if I score off those balls) you're not striking at 22, you're striking at 35.

"In a five-day game, you have a bit more luxury of a bit more time. But in four-day games of Shield cricket you can't be striking (that slow) … today, you’ve got to be pushing to get a result.

"It's definitely something I'm looking to work on in the future."

2021 Marsh Sheffield Shield final

Queensland v NSW Blues at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, April 15-19. Play begins each morning at 9.30am AEST

Queensland squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

NSW squad: Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Josh Hazlewood, Lachlan Hearne, Baxter Holt, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, Kurtis Patterson, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Mitchell Starc

The 2021 Marsh Sheffield Shield final will be broadcast LIVE in Australia on Foxtel & Kayo Sports. ABC Grandstand's live radio coverage will also be available on cricket.com.au & the CA Live app. Viewers in NZ can watch via Sky Sport, while fans in other countries can stream via Facebook HERE