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Newcastle-native Mark Cameron has produced a lion-hearted performance in his hometown to recover from a back injury to bowl NSW to a crucial 114-run win over Tasmania.
The paceman needed painkilling injections midway through the final day of the Sheffield Shield clash before returning to the field to finish off the stubborn Tigers.
The Tasmanian tail threatened to hold out the Blues with the home side still needing two wickets to win with only a dozen overs to go.
However Cameron (4-51), who had been suffering from back spasms, stepped up to dismiss Luke Butterworth (47) and Gerard Denton (30) to boost NSW’s chances of making next month’s Sheffield Shield final.
The Blues remained in fifth place on 16 points but are just four points behind second-placed Queensland with three games to play.
NSW skipper Simon Katich praised Cameron’s performance.
“It was an outstanding effort,” Katich said.
“I did not think he was probably going to bowl again for the match, it is amazing what an injection can do.
“He probably won’t be able to move for the next two months but that was a great effort from him and obviously good for him in front of his home crowd.”
Phil Hughes was named man of the match for his 151 and 82no, not to mention the screamer of a catch he took to remove Butterworth near the end of play on Monday.
Spinner Nathan Hauritz (2-71 off 31 overs) plugged away to shore up his stocks of keeping his spot in the Test side after 4-86 in the first innings of the match.
Set 351 to win off 96 overs, Tasmania were dismissed for 236 with youngster Jonathan Wells topscoring with 85.
They made a solid start to the run chase before medium-pacer Dominic Thornely removed Rhett Lockyear (26) with the total on 62.
Local lads Burt Cockley (2-29) and Cameron put the clamps on the visiting side by claiming wickets in the last two overs before lunch.
Tasmanian captain Dan Marsh (15) then continued his unhappy game by being bowled by Doug Bollinger (1-56), the left-armer’s performance much better than his figures suggested.
Wells did his best to steer his side out of trouble as Cameron spent time receiving treatment for his back complaint during the middle session.
Cockley ended the plucky youngster’s stay before tea and Cameron then played a key role in the final session.
He ended Tim Paine’s (15) knock soon after the break with Hauritz rolling his Test rival Jason Krejza (4) in the very next over.
Hauritz then looked to quickly end the innings by bowling Brett Geeves (1) with a faster ball in his next over – the 65th of the innings.
With almost an entire session to bat, allrounder Butterworth and Denton stuck around with the tail-ender dropped twice to add to the home side’s frustration in their 64-minute stand.
But within sight of a draw, Cameron iced the game.
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