Swepson stands out in Shield thriller

After posting his best first-class figures of 5-97 in NSW’s first innings, Swepson topped that with 5-74 in the second in yet another effort to put him on the national selection radar.

Despite the efforts of the lef-spinner, the Blues snuck home by a wicket in a thrilling and high standard match at Karen Rolton Oval.

With 15 scalps at 20.33 this season, Swepson has vaulted to the top of the Shield wicket-takers list and edged ahead of Ashton Agar as Australia’s number two spinner behind Nathan Lyon.

For a moment on Monday, Lyon was a hero with the bat when he slashed Michael Neser over point to level the scores.

Drama then ensued when Sean Abbott drove Swepson to mid-off and took off for a run. Lyon refused to go and was run out at the striker’s end.

That meant No 11 Harry Conway was on strike to Swepson. Conway kept out the remaining four balls of the over, whereupon Abbott heaved Marnus Labuschagne over mid-on to win the game and walk off unbeaten on 18.

Swepson’s match haul of 10-171 made him a worthy man of the match, presumably just ahead of Trent Copeland, whose second innings 5-17 set up the NSW win.

Still in his batting pads 20 minutes after the gripping climax, Abbott said the winning blow barely cleared mid-on, so the game was decided by a matter of centimetres.

Abbott said Swepson bowled even better on Monday than he did in the first innings, when the leg-spinner ripped one across Abbott to flick the top of off-stump.

“He was bowling quite fast and hitting the rough (on Monday),” Abbott said.

“I felt like if he missed the rough I could take him over the top straight, but we lost a couple of wickets at the wrong time.

“He didn’t give me – or anyone really – any bad balls today. He bowled really well, which is what you expect from a quality spinner on a fourth day.”

Resuming on 3-71, needing 135 to win, Daniel Hughes and Daniel Solway batted through the first hour to whittle the target down to 97.

Hughes cover-drove attractively and defended with the deadest of dead bats. It took a great ball from Swepson – a ripping leg-spinner that sneaked through the left-hander’s gate – to dismiss him, for 43 from 98 balls.

The compact and consistent Solway – he’s made double figures in each of his 15 completed Shield innings to average 54.91 – played pace and spin with equal ease and was severe on anything even a smidgeon short.

Needing 206 to win, NSW was cruising at 4-162 but the Bulls roared back after lunch to get Peter Nevill for 25 and Solway for 52.

Bulls skipper Usman Khawaja used the full array of his attack – even starting the day with the occasional spin of Matt Renshaw so Swepson could switch ends.

Labuschagne tried to bounce Solway out as the Bulls tried to manufacture something on the still-true pitch.

The Bulls stuck to their task even as the Blues edged closer, their quicks charging in hard right to the very end.