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Bird is the word! Former Test quick snares seven in Shield demolition

Bird is the word! Former Test quick snares seven in Shield demolition

New South Wales seamer Jackson Bird has ripped through South Australia in a stunning blitz at Adelaide Oval, taking seven wickets in a Sheffield Shield demolition on Thursday.

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The former Test quick, who turns 38 next month, finished with 7-46 from 15 overs as the hosts were rolled for 110 in 41.3 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.

Bird, who had a disrupted pre-season due to injury, removed South Australian opener Conor McInerney in the opening over, caught at short leg for a third-ball duck, before tearing the heart out of South Australia’s middle order. He dismissed wicketkeeper Harry Neilsen and Ben Manenti in consecutive balls to secure his five-wicket haul before knocking over tailenders Nathan McAndrew and Brendan Doggett within four deliveries.

Blues captain Jack Edwards cleaned up the tail, taking 2-25 from 11.3 overs, to put the tourists on track for their first Sheffield Shield victory of the season.

Bird’s career-best first-class figures remains the 7-18 he claimed against NSW at Bellerive Oval in 2021 while representing Tasmania.

Jackson Bird of the Blues. Photo by Mark Brake/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“I don’t mind bowling Adelaide, it’s a great place to bowl,” Bird told reporters at stumps.

“It’s nice to get some wickets … felt reasonably good out there today.

“It still felt like I didn’t bowl great in patches, it’s funny how cricket works.”

New South Wales was 2-140 at stumps, with Kurtis Patterson (32*) and nightwatcher Tanveer Sangha (6*) unbeaten overnight.

Blues opener Nic Maddinson cracked 69, his highest first-class score of the season, before South Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope trapped him LBW.

The match resumes on Friday at 11am AEDT.