New father Marnus Labuschagne started his summer in style by blasting a 24th first-class century to put Queensland in total control of its Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania.
The Test superstar, who finished the recent series in Sri Lanka with a century in Galle, powered to his seventh Shield hundred in the past three seasons, the most of any player, in a commanding performance at Allan Border Field.
Labuschagne made 127 as the Bulls charged to 4-357 at stumps on day two.
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It gives them a 210-run lead over the Tigers, who had been dismissed for a paltry 147 on Thursday.
Former Test paceman Peter Siddle claimed Labuschagne’s scalp, trapping him LBW to bring to an end a 234-ball innings that included 19 fours and one six.
“(It was) my first hundred as a dad,” said a delighted Labuschagne, whose wife Rebekah gave birth last month to baby daughter Hallie.
“The first ball my wife saw today was the 100. She came here when I was on 99. It was nice for Bek and Hallie to see the 100.
“I was in the spare room last night making sure I got enough sleep so I could score some runs today but I think I’ll be back on duty tonight.”
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Others to shine with the bat for the Bulls included opener Joe Burns (85) and captain Usman Khawaja.
Batting at number four for his state, Test opener Khawaja iwas unbeaten at stumps on 71, while wicket-keeper Jimmy Peirson was 58 not out in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 88 between the pair.
“It was a very good day for us,” Labuschagne said.
“It puts us in a really good position coming into day three. I think the wicket’s still got plenty in it.”
Paceman Riley Meredith has two wickets for the Tigers, with Siddle and Beau Webster each having a scalp.
VICS ON TOP OF SA IN ADELAIDE
Ashes hero Scott Boland picked up where he left off last summer snaring a wicket second ball and three in his first eight overs in a perfect start to the new season on Friday.
Boland, who took international cricket by storm with an unforgettable 6/7 on debut against England at the MCG last summer, did it with both and ball for Victoria in Adelaide as he combined with century-maker Will Sutherland to put the visitors on top in their opening Sheffield Shield clash despite some resistance from Test stars Travis Head and Alex Carey
Playing his first red-ball game since taking seven-wickets for Australia A in Sri Lanka in June, Boland showed the weaponry which helped him to 18 Ashes wickets as he tore through the Redbacks top-order.
After bashing out an unbeaten 24 in a 50-run final wicket partnership with Jon Holland, Boland took the first three SA wickets and had figures of 3-14 before fellow Ashes hero Travis Head dug in for the home side.
Head, man of the series in the Ashes, was returning to the crease after a horror run in Sri Lanka where he managed just 23 runs in the two Tests in Galle. The left-hander made 76, and put on 83 with Carey, before being dismissed by Victorian debutante Fergus O’Neill.
Boland got back in the action during the final session of play, snaring a fourth wicket but Carey’s dismissal ended the last resistance for the home team and Sutherland cleaned up the tail, taking four wickets himself, to dismissed SA for 230, still 80 behind Victoria’s first innings total of 310.
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Victoria’s total came after Sutherland broke through for his maiden first-class century on the opening day and the all-rounder made sure to thank his “amazing” sister, rising Australian star Annabel for the inspiration to go big with the bat.
Annabel has started the season with two one-day hundreds for the Vics.
“I see the work she does on her batting, and the number of balls she faces in the nets and it does provide inspiration,” Will said.
“I scored a hundred for (Premier Cricket Club) Prahran last season, where I bat at number four, so I have been serious about my batting.
“But I look at her and she‘s been amazing”.
