Nathan Lyon pulls off a stunner at short mid-wicket to dismiss Callum Ferguson

The 2019-20 edition of the Marsh Sheffield Shield– Australia’s premier first-class competition– is in full flow. The next round of the games kicked off on Monday, February 24 with New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland locking horns against South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia respectively.

New South Wales, who is currently leading the points table- 41 points after 5 wins and one defeat in seven games- have put themselves in the ascendancy for their sixth win of the season after they set South Australia 403 runs to win. It was a brilliant day for New South Wales; one that was headlined by a freak of a catch by Australia’s premier off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

It all happened during the first innings of South Australia when Callum Ferguson pulled a delivery off Trent Copeland in front of square. But to his utter dismay, Nathan Lyon turned into superman at short mid-wicket and plucked a catch out of thin air.

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New South Wales in a dominating position against South Australia

Trent Copeland finished with 5-63 as South Australia were eventually bowled out for 207 in 91.1 overs. Earlier New South Wales opener Daniel Hughes spearheaded his sides’ batting unit with a patient 191-ball 103 to rack up 373 in 121.4 overs.

After having taken a 166-run-lead post the completion of the first innings, Hughes backed up his first-innings hundred with another pristine century in the second bout– a brilliant 136 off 170 deliveries– an innings which included 22 fours and one six.

Hughes and Larkin [32 off 63 balls] notched up a 94-run-stand for the opening wicket with the latter stroking six fours in his knock. The partnership was finally broken when Larkin was run out by Travis Head. That, however, did nothing to cause jitters in the New South Wales batting line-up as Hughes and Daniel Solway [53* off 69 balls] racked up a 126-run-stand for the second wicket.

New South Wales finally declared their innings at dec. 2-236, setting 403 runs for South Australia, who finished the day at 1-40 in 17 overs after opener Henry Hunt was dismissed by Liam Hatcher for a 53-ball 15.

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