Australia Test captain Tim Paine ends 4738-day century-less drought with a ton in Sheffield Shield
The skipper of the Australian Test team, Tim Paine has recorded his second first-class ton of his 14-year-long domestic career by playing a knock of 121 runs for Tasmania against Western Australia in the ongoing Sheffield Shield tournament. Interestingly, this is the first time the wicket-keeper batsman has reached the triple-figure mark since October 2006.
The then 21-year-old Paine had slammed a double hundred against Western Australia at Perth in the 2006-07 Sheffield Shield. And now, 4,738 days later, he has achieved this feat once again versus the same opponents at the same venue.
Coming out to bat at number 7, Tim Paine stitched a good 80-run partnership with Caleb Jewell for the sixth wicket. However, Tasmania lost two more wickets in quick succession and they were reduced to 281-8 after being 256-5 at one stage.
Paine kept going hard on the bowlers from one end while number 10 batsman, Lawrence Neil-Smith kept defending at the other to build a massive 111-run partnership for the ninth wicket. The Australian captain surpassed the 100-run mark during this partnership but he had to wait for a while before celebrating his ton.
When he was batting on 99, he flicked a delivery from Ashton Agar on the leg-side and took 2 runs. However, the umpire declared them as leg byes. In the next over though, Paine completed his ton.
Western Australia had posted 337 runs on the board after batting first in the match. Marcus Stoinis had emerged as the top scorer of the team with 61 runs. Jackson Bird, Riley Meredith and Lawrence Neil-Smith scalped three wickets each for Tasmania.
In reply, the Tasmanian side had lost their first five wickets for 176 runs before Tim Paine and co. ensured that they take a handsome lead in the first innings.
You can follow the live coverage of the Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and Tasmania here.
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