Image Credit- CA
Resurgent Nic Maddinson of Victoria has continued his
remarkable comeback from a major knee injury by scoring a century in his second
consecutive Sheffield Shield game.
At the SCG on Saturday, the former Test player struck an incredible 108 from
136 balls to put Victoria ahead of New South Wales at stumps after the second
day of play.
With a 25-run advantage after the first over, Victoria is 277 for 2, thanks to
half-centuries from Peter Handscomb and Will Pucovski, who put the visitors
ahead at stumps.
Two weeks after smashing a commanding 104 against
South Australia in his first Shield innings since rupturing his anterior
cruciate ligament in a BBL game on New Year’s Day 2023, Maddinson scored his
17th century in first-class cricket. In addition, it was his third game against
his previous state and his ninth for Victoria. Since transferring states in
2018, he has played 37 Shield innings, averaging 52.09.
Even though Maddinson struggled to find his form when he first returned to
cricket, he swiftly found his greatest form in the longer format of the game
while playing for the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL.
In response to NSW’s 252, Maddinson and Marcus Harris
had an opening stand of 114 runs. Harris finished with 32 out of 117, but
Nathan Lyon’s errant shot defeated him. The Test spinner made his final Shield
outing and got both Victorian wickets before leaving for Australia’s New
Zealand tour.
But as they look for breakthroughs, the Blues have had a difficult time in the
field, going through seven bowlers in a row.
Play resumes on Sunday, when Pucovski will be looking to make his seventh
first-class century. Following Maddinson’s expulsion, he and Handscomb share an
undefeated century stand.