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Sheffield Shield

Harris and Pucovski set Sheffield Shield record with 486-run stand

New South Wales brothers Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh had held the record for the highest partnership in Sheffield Shield history – a fifth-wicket stand worth 464 in 1990.

But Harris and Pucovski surpassed the iconic duo with their monumental opening stand against South Australia on day three of their domestic red-ball clash.

Harris and Pucovski resumed on 418 without loss – the latter returning to the crease 199 not out before bringing up his second double century off the first ball of the day.

A cover drive from nine-time Australia Test batsman Harris took Victoria to 465, moving beyond the Waugh brothers.

The record partnership was finally ended when Harris was caught behind for 239 off Ashton Agar (1-113).

Young batting prodigy Pucovski – eyeing Test selection for Australia – finished unbeaten on 255 in his maiden knock as an opener as Victoria declared on 569-3 in their first innings.

Pucovski, Green push for Australia Test places – but will youth have to wait?

After impressing to begin the Sheffield Shield season, Pucovski, 22, and Green, 21, were named in a 17-man selection to face India.

Pucovski has shown just why he is so highly rated, having previously been named in the Test squad to face Sri Lanka in early 2019, although he did not make his debut.

Later that year, the Victorian revealed his struggles with mental health issues, withdrawing from contention for a Test series against Pakistan.

But his form to begin the 2020-21 Shield season was impossible for selectors to ignore, and he has put pressure on Joe Burns for a place when the first Test begins in Adelaide in December.

Pucovski has scored 495 runs at an average of 247.5, including double centuries against South Australia and Western Australia.

He became the first player to score double centuries in consecutive Shield innings since Dene Hills in 1997-98. Since Bob Simpson in 1963, that feat has been achieved just four times – by Peter Burge in 1963-65, Dean Jones (1991), Hills and Pucovski.

Having contributed 42.1 per cent of all of Victoria's runs in the Shield this season, Pucovski boasts the highest such percentage of any player, as per Opta. The next best is his opening partner, Marcus Harris, who has scored 355 – 30.2 per cent.

Pucovski and Burns, who has just 57 runs in five innings this Shield season, were also both named in the Australia A squad to face India A and India in tour matches.

He may not be the only injection of youth to Australia's Test team.

Green, also named in the limited-overs squad to face India, is pushing his case too. The Western Australian has amassed 363 runs at an average of 72.6 to begin the Shield season, while also taking two wickets.

Green made 197 against New South Wales last month, facing Sean Abbott and Nathan Lyon, who are also part of the Test squad.

Most impressively, Green has a false shot rate of just 6.1 per cent, which is the second lowest of any player who has scored at least 50 runs in the Sheffield Shield this season. Only former Australia batsman Callum Ferguson (5.9 per cent) has a better rate, and he has 177 runs in six innings. Pucovski's, meanwhile, is 12.2 per cent.

While Pucovski and Green are in contention, they may have to wait. Australia coach Justin Langer suggested on Friday that Burns would keep his place ahead of Pucovski, thanks to his opening partnership with David Warner, which has yielded 1,365 runs at an average of 50.55 in Tests.

That average is similar to Warner's with Steve Smith (1,482 at 51.1) but also lower than the left-hander's with Usman Khawaja (1,348 at 53.92).

By the time Adelaide comes around, Australia's mos recent Test would have been almost a year ago, against New Zealand in Sydney. Of the top six from that encounter, only Marnus Labuschagne (26) and Travis Head (26) are under 30, but Australia are the world's top-ranked Test team.

Now, Pucovski and Green are knocking the door down as they push for places, but they may have to bide their time.

Tim Paine on comeback trail with Tasmania as scandal-hit former Australia captain returns

The 37-year-old wicketkeeper will feature for Tasmania against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield on Thursday, despite missing out on a state contract for the season.

Paine stepped away from playing duties when details came to light of a historic investigation into a 2017 text message exchange between Paine and a female employee at Cricket Tasmania.

It meant he missed out on leading Australia into the 2021-22 Ashes series, resigning just weeks before the battle with England began. Paine's last first-class match saw him represent Tasmania against Western Australia in April 2021.

Ahead of his return at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, Paine said: "I'm pretty fresh, that's for sure."

Quoted by ABC, he added: "I've obviously been training for five, six weeks. I'm ready to go, excited, obviously a bit nervous, but looking forward to it."

Paine was backed by Tasmania coach Jeff Vaughan, who said team selectors were "quite unanimous" he should be welcomed back, describing him as "one of the world's best wicketkeepers".

"We have absolute faith and trust in Tim and his preparation," Vaughan said, quoted on cricket.com.au. "Physically he is probably in the greatest spot of his physical career, emotionally he is sound."

The return of Paine has also been backed in the Australia ranks, with T20 captain Aaron Finch saying: "I think Australian cricket is better for having Tim involved in a playing capacity."

Reports in Australia on Tuesday claimed Paine is set to give his side of the sexting story in a new book.

Tim Paine out for six as former Australia captain makes long-awaited return

The 37-year-old wicketkeeper was playing in his first such match for 20 months, resuming a playing career that ground to a halt following a sexting scandal.

Paine stepped away from playing duties when details came to light of a historic investigation into a 2017 text message exchange between Paine and a female employee at Cricket Tasmania.

It meant he missed out on leading Australia into the 2021-22 Ashes series, resigning just weeks before the battle with England began. Paine's last first-class match had seen him represent Tasmania against Western Australia in April 2021.

A cheap dismissal on his comeback, caught by Matt Renshaw off paceman Gurinder Sandhu's bowling, saw Tasmania slip to 74-6 in their first innings, before recovering slightly to post 147 all out.

Paine took a catch in Queensland's reply, holding on to remove Renshaw and give Riley Meredith a wicket, as the home team at Allan Border Field reached 70-1 at stumps.