Recent Match Report – NZ A vs Australia A 1st unofficial Test 2023

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Australia A 141 for 3 (Jewell 69*) trail New Zealand A 147 (Swepson 3-19, Buckingham 3-29) by six runs

Young pace bowler Jordan Buckingham made another good impression for Australia A on the opening day of the first four-day match against New Zealand A in Brisbane. He collected three wickets in a 13-ball rush as the visitors were left in a hole they never really climbed out of.

Buckingham’s burst instigated at collapse of 5 for 16 either side of lunch before some lower-order resistance lifted New Zealand A to 147. Legspinner Mitchell Swepson, who may have imagined his chance of a bowl disappearing as the quicks did the early damage, bagged three to wrap up the tail. By the close, Australia A were almost in the lead.

“It was a pretty conducive wicket and an important toss to win,” Buckingham said. “To get the rewards was really nice, especially in that first spell, but think we all bowled really well. Definitely pride myself on consistency. I’m not out-and-out express pace like some guys are blessed with. For me, I try to stay as patient as possible and try and win the mental battle.”

This is Buckingham’s 11th first-class match and two of them have already come for Australia A, along with another non-first-class outing for a Cricket Australia XI against South Africa last season.

“You are always confident in your own ability and what you can do, but to get the opportunities early in your career is an absolute blessing if you ask me,” he said. “To get exposed to good opposition and such good cricket at such an early age is only going to hold you in good stead for the future.”

Caleb Jewell led Australia A’s response with a half-century studded with crisply hit boundaries including two fours and a six in the space of four deliveries against Brett Randell.

Jacob Duffy, who has clocked up some air miles in the last couple of weeks, flying to the UAE for the T20I series where he did not play and then back to Brisbane, struck twice. He had Tim Ward taken at second slip and removed Nathan McSweeney when he edged a full delivery.

After Australia A captain McSweeney won the toss it was not long before his attack made inroads. Mark Steketee found himself on a hat-trick in his second over when Henry Cooper was caught behind off an inside edge then Nick Kelly nicked to second slip first ball. There was encouragement for the quicks in the air and off the pitch in early-season conditions – it is not officially spring for another three days.

However, from there, New Zealand A gave themselves a foundation as Sean Solia and captain Tom Bruce added 59 for the second wicket. But Buckingham put an entirely different complexion on the morning session as he surged in with 3 for 1. He started by nipping one through Solia before finding the edge of Muhammad Abbas with a full delivery, and then getting Josh Clarkson lbw when he missed a swipe across the line.

It left New Zealand A in a mess at lunch on 69 for 6 and when Kuggeleijn was caught in the slips shortly after the resumption it appeared they could fall short of three figures.

But Randell and Cam Fletcher combined with decent effect in an eighth-wicket stand of 31 before Swepson had Fletcher lofting to mid-off in his opening over, having moments earlier taken a painful blow on the fingers from a drilled straight drive. Swepson wrapped up the innings when Ajaz Patel top-edged a sweep and Duffy missed a googly.

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