Quantcast

Redbacks' record a moment to remember

On a special day, South Australia's openers combined for a special partnership

There was a certain symbolism in the observation of Remembrance Day at Adelaide Oval today.

Not only did South Australia stoke memories of distant deeds with a 293-run first-wicket stand that eclipsed a benchmark set by Les Favell and John Causby on the 49th anniversary of the World War One armistice in November 1967.

It was also the first time in SA's Shield history they have lost a solitary wicket on the opening day of a match having batted first, reaching an imposing 1-359 when stumps were drawn.

In doing so, luckless opener Jake Weatherald rediscovered the touch that saw him touted as a potential Test player barely a year ago and posted his own personal best with a defiantly audacious 195 not out.

Weatherald and his partner Henry Hunt, the rookie recruit from ACT in his maiden Marsh Sheffield Shield season, thrashed a listless Tasmania attack to post South Australia's highest opening stand in 127 summers of Shield cricket.

It was also the heftiest first-wicket partnership the competition has seen since Victoria pair Matthew Elliott and Jason Arnberger plundered Tasmania's to all parts of Punt Road Oval, scoring 353 in 1999.

The feat was rendered more remarkable by the pair's form line since they joined forces at the start of the summer, with their union having yielded an aggregate of 43 runs (average 8.6) in three previous matches including three instances when SA's first wicket fell without a run on the board.

While today's history making effort effectively missed the deadline for applications to fill the Test opening berth alongside David Warner, it could scarcely have been more timely for the two young men involved.

Weatherald admitted both he and Hunt could conceivably have been omitted for this Sheffield Shield fixture against Tasmania, having both failed to reach 20 in either innings against New South Wales last week.

"It's good to reward the faith that Mutcha (SA coach Jamie Siddons) has shown in Henry and myself," 25-year-old Weatherald said at day's end.

"He could have easily have dropped us this game after our performance last week, so it's good to know that we've got the backing of the head coach.

"It's been a while since I've been out in the middle for any time, so it was pretty cool to be out there instead of in the nets.

"I've been hitting them pretty well in the nets which makes it even more frustrating to walk into the changerooms (having posted a low score)

"But when you're opening you just get good balls, and things happen that don't go your way.

"You can try too hard, and I've definitely tried really hard to make runs … and you've got to make runs to stay in the team."

Weatherald carries bat for brilliant 195

There was no inkling of what was to unfold as the teams lined up in sombre silence, half an hour into the day's play on a hot, often blustery Adelaide day, to observe a minute's silence at 11am.

The SA pair had fought hard to keep out Tasmania spearhead Jackson Bird, whose opening six overs cost just two runs.

But rather than break the concentration of the batters, it was the fielding team that seemingly struggled to regroup upon resumption.

With their regular strike bowler Riley Meredith conscripted to Australia A duty in Perth, Tasmania's bowlers found no assistance from the newly laid, benign playing surface and began to stray in line and length as they searched for a breakthrough.

By lunch, the tone was ominous with Weatherald (48no) and Hunt (36no) rarely troubled, and the pair then repeatedly rode their luck in the afternoon session.

Hunting season: Rookie opener posts maiden Shield century

Weatherald twice benefited when Beau Webster failed to hold tough chances at second slip, the first barely brushing outstretched fingertips when the opener flashed at Bird on 58 and the second a stinging reflex effort off Alex Pyecroft on 80.

But the third offering that Webster turfed was eminently catchable as Hunt (then on 72) stretched for a wide ball from Rainbird that clipped the toe of the bat and flew shoulder-high and marginally to the beleaguered fielder's right.

By that stage both batters were routinely finding the gaps with deft cuts and pulls when the bowlers pitched short, and hitting through the line with impunity when they erred too full.

Weatherald's first century since the corresponding Shield game against Tasmania last February, and which followed scores of 0, 25, 16, 1 and 0 so far in this campaign, came from 150 balls with SA's total 0-185.

Hunt, who was signed to a rookie contract this summer after impressing for ACT/NSW Country in the Toyota Futures League last summer, reached his maiden first-class hundred with a deft back cut to the boundary from Pyecroft's bowling.

The 22-year-old right-hander, who was last season's leading runs scorer in what's now known as the Toyota Second XI competition, grew up on a sheep farm outside the small town of Grenfell, near Cowra in the central-west of NSW.

Hunt's father, James, played rugby league for Canberra Raiders and his family have been present at his previous three Shield appearances but missed his milestone moment because of work commitments on the farm.

"I think dad would have had the HDMI cable hooked up to the TV (for the live stream) today," Hunt said.

"I've loved every minute so far, ever since I've come over here for pre-season.

"Obviously you get first-string bowlers, and facing guys like (Josh) Hazlewood, (Nathan) Lyon, Jon) Holland, (James) Pattinson over the past few weeks has been challenging.

"But I've taken a few things out of that to try and build on my game, and at the moment it feels good.

"Tim Nielsen (SA high performance manager) gave me some advice before I made my debut, to play the ball and not the bowler, so that's been my mentality for the past four games.

"My goal has been to just bat as long as I can and work around the other blokes, and luckily enough I did it today."