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Wine enthusiast Stuart MacGill thrust himself straight back to the top shelf of Australia’s spin bowling ranks with a vintage display against South Australia.
The legspinner returned figures of 5-49 in his first match for NSW since wrist surgery as the Redbacks were skittled for 128 before the Blues replied with 4-76 when bad light halted play early.
MacGill’s future in the game was in grave doubt just three months ago after being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome following his erratic performances in Australia’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
But the 42-Test player cashed in on a spin-friendly SCG deck before Redbacks spinner Dan Cullen (3-9) hauled his side back into the Pura Cup match with three late wickets as NSW lost 4-7 late on the opening day.
With Brad Hogg retired, MacGill faces competition from Victoria’s Bryce McGain to be considered Australia’s frontline spinner before proposed tours of Pakistan and the West Indies.
But his performance in front of national selector Jamie Cox today must have eased concerns about his health and the depth in Australia’s spin bowling ranks.
MacGill, who has been nominated for a Logie award for Most Popular New Talent for his wine show ‘Uncorked’, had a chat to SCG curator Tom Parker last weekend during the first final of the tri-series competition.
“I wanted to find out what pitch it was,” he said.
“I said which wicket was it and I had a little smile when I saw what wicket.
“At the end of the season there is definitely pitches all over Australia which are good to bowl spin on.”
He felt it took him a little while to find his rhythm but must have sensed it would be his day when he opened with a long hop only for Daniel Harris (11) to cut straight to Dominic Thornely at point.
Buoyed by the early scalp, MacGill started to float the ball up and he had 2-0 when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin stumped Jake Brown (9) in his third over.
Seamers Grant Lambert (2-23) and retiring quick Matthew Nicholson (2-17) continued the steady fall of SA wickets as they stumbled to 5-90 before MacGill struck again.
He sent Shane Deitz (21) packing with a big leg break before dismissing allrounder Mark Cleary (0) for a second ball duck with a ball that skidded out of the rough and tilted back the middle stump.
Lambert returned to remove Ryan Harris before pace bowler Mark Cameron ended the 29-run stand between young spinners Cullen Bailey (26) and Cullen (13).
MacGill completed his five-wicket haul by having Bailey caught at slip.
In reply, Phil Jaques rode his luck early with former NSW player Daniel Christian grassing him two balls in a row at second slip in the first over of the innings.
The Test opener and Phillip Hughes put on 59 for the first wicket before it was a case of third time lucky for Christian who caught the teenager at the second attempt.
But Cullen then brought the Blues’ middle order undone by claiming Jaques in the next over before trapping the prolific Simon Katich in front for a golden duck.
The cheeky off-spinner then completed the NSW slide from 0-59 to 4-66 by removing Usman Khawaja (7) shortly before the end of play.
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