Kurtis Patterson has taken the next step in his revival as a first-class cricketer, hitting another half-century as NSW rammed home their advantage over South Australia.
Dropped from NSW’s Sheffield Shield side for most of last summer and fearing his career could be over, Patterson made it three straight half-centuries for the Blues on Friday.
With NSW well on top, Patterson struck 71 to help the Blues to 394 late on day two and a first-innings lead of 284 at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval.
South Australia went to stumps at 3-53, still needing 231 more runs to make the Blues bat again.
Paceman Jackson Bird had taken 2-15 to follow his first innings heroics of 7-46.
Patterson took his time through the majority of his innings, crunching two boundaries through the covers and another through mid on.
The two-time Test representative eventually lost his leg stump trying to glance Brendan Doggett, but Patterson has now clearly given himself a second life as a first-class cricketer.
He has made scores of 91, 66 and 71 since his return for the Blues earlier this month, after only being recalled when NSW found themselves short on batsmen through Australia A duties.
Patterson was one of four Blues to pass 50 against the previously-undefeated South Australians.
After Nic Maddinson hit 69 on the opening evening, Oliver Davies blasted his way to 56 on day two by regularly taking on spinner Lloyd Pope down the ground.
Wearing a floppy hat, Davies used his feet to hit Pope for four through cover, down the ground for a big six and then over cover for four again in quick succession.
Matthew Gilkes also hit 55, while Nathan McAndrew took 4-90 for South Australia and Doggett 3-90.
No South Australians were, however, able to replicate the joy of NSW veteran Bird on day one, who set up the Blues’ dominance.
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