Hopes and Hartley earn Queensland respect on the opening day of Sheffield Shield
Half-centuries from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Victoria-c859 Bushrangers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) today.
The Bulls were reeling at 89 for 5 in the 49th over but the skipper Chris Hopes and wicketkeeper batsman James Hartley helped the visitors overcome a top-order wobble with a 137-run stand and steered their team to 226 for
5 by stumps. At the close of the Day 1, skipper Hopes was not out at 75 while Hartley remained unbeaten on 64.
The MCG track tinged with green meant the Victorian skipper Cameron White had no hesitation in asking http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834 Bulls to bat first after winning the toss. The early stages of the day were a struggle for the visiting batsmen.
The Bulls were just 31 on the board when Clint McKay slapped them their first loss trapping opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ryan-Broad-c2384 leg before with a beautiful off-cutter. Broad scored 13 runs from 25 balls including two fours. McKay struck back on the
first ball of his next over when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Craig-Philipson-c1290 was caught behind the stumps for only 4.
Philipson’s dismissal brought Chris Lynn to the crease and in partnership with Broad’s opening partner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wade-Townsend-c2774, the duo tried to steady the ship, but it was extremely slow going. Townsend’s painstaking 31 runs innings reached
an end when he edged Will Sheridan to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Matthew-Wade-c1933 behind the stumps.
Townsend played 120 deliveries to compile a patient 31. He was soon followed by, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ben-Dunk-c1133, the man who replaced him after becoming Damien Wright’s first victim leaving the Bulls at 83 for 4. That became 89 for 5 when Chris Lynn was
bowled by Damien Wright.
Lynn was the last man from the Bulls to lose the wicket as after his dismissal skipper Hartley and wicketkeeper Hopes took the responsibility of a revival. Both the partners found it much easier to score and pulled the ball through
the boundary line as many as 17 times collectively, easing the nerves of their side with an unbeaten stand of 137 runs for the sixth wicket partnership.
Clint McKay was joined by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/William-Sheridan-c2797 finished the day with 1 for 38 from his 8-over spell.
Both Hopes and Hartley will be aiming to build on the strong 137-run partnership when the match resumes on Saturday.
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