Ward leads NSW talent in piling on runs against Blues
The hosts struck with the first ball of the day at the SCG but it was harder going after that
AAP24-Nov-2024Adopted Tasmanian Tim Ward has his side into a promising position on the opening day of their Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales, as three Blues juniors impressed against their old state.In his second game back in Tasmania’s team after being dropped last summer, Ward hit 91 at the SCG on Sunday, before falling late in the day when caught down the leg side.His runs came as Nivethan Radhakrishnan and Jordan Silk also hit half-centuries, giving Tasmania a chance to finally lay the foundation for their first Shield victory of the summer.Ward, Radhakrishnan and Silk never played a senior match for NSW in their career, but all were raised in Sydney and came through the Blues’ system before moving south. On Sunday, each had success on their return home, with Ward’s runs particularly timely.The 26-year-old was the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year in 2022, and part of the Australia A team in 2023 after a strong start to domestic cricket. But he fell out of form last summer, and found himself dropped late in the season after three consecutive ducks.Ward again began this season on the outer, before hitting 51 on return for Tasmania against Queensland in the last round. The No. 3 continued that form into Sunday, after Jackson Bird had Jake Weatherald edging to gully from a poor shot on the first ball of the match.Ward drove Sean Abbott for four early in the day, and later jumped down the deck to hit Adam Zampa for six over midwicket. But for the most part it was an innings of steady accumulation, before his 246-ball vigil was ended when he was caught behind off Abbott.Radhakrishnan’s runs also came after being recalled to the struggling Tasmania side. Playing in just his second first-class match, the 21-year-old who rose to prominence as an ambidextrous spinner, impressed with the bat for Tasmania in his 55.He cover-drove Jack Edwards for one four and hit him behind point for another in the same over, before using his feet to hit Green to the long-on rope. But he was out to the spinner four balls later, when trapped on the pads to one that went straight on.Silk then walked to the wicket and hit 74, before he too was caught behind off Abbott inside the last 20 overs of the day.Abbott finished the day with 2 for 55, after earlier having Radhakrishnan dropped twice in the slips and once by wicketkeeper Josh Philippe in the first session.