TRENT Copeland’s impact with the bat on Thursday may have been minimal, but as his New South Wales team-mates worked their way to a first innings lead over Queensland they could still thank him.
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It was Copeland’s efforts a day earlier against the Sheffield Shield competition leaders that put the Blues in a position to upset Queensland at Wollongong’s North Dalton Park.
His five-wicket haul – which came on the day of his 32nd birthday – helped dismiss Queensland for 243.
It was a total NSW eclipsed for the loss of five wickets just before the tea break, so Copeland’s one run off nine deliveries later in the afternoon was easy to forgive.
On Wednesday the talented seamer was the undisputed star as he picked up his third five-wicket haul of the shield season after NSW won the toss and elected to bowl.
His heroics came in an epic spell of 21 consecutive overs, Copeland claiming 5-55 in that period as Queensland slipped to 6-117.
He returned to the attack later in the afternoon to bowl eight more overs to finish with 5-74 – his economy rate of 2.55 also the best of the Blues’ attack.
On top of that, Copeland also took a pair of sharp catches fielding at first slip.
“My attributes suit these kind of conditions … the wicket lended itself to a little bit of movement off the seam,” Copeland said.
“I pride myself on a little bit of control, and when I try and swing the ball each way or wobble the seam and nip it away from left-handers, then I have it in the right area more often than not.”
Copeland struck the first blow to the Bulls in the fifth over when he bowled opener Matt Renshaw – a man who had hit three centuries in his last three shield matches – for eight.
The Bathurst talent then once more rattled the stumps to send Marnus Labuschagne (17) on his way to make it 2-50.
Copeland’s next three victims came in quick succession. He had Sam Heazlett (11) trapped leg before wicket and two deliveries later bowled new batsman Jack Wildermuth for a duck.
Then with the first delivery of his next over, Copeland sent Jimmy Peirson (one) on his way as he took his tally of shield victims for the season to 30. It moved him to 10th on the competition’s leading bowlers’ table.
The match is set to conclude on Saturday.
