HE has proven himself as both a major weapon and a workhorse of the New South Wales bowling attack, but now Trent Copeland can lay claim to be one of the Blues' toughest as well.
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While batting at the MCG on Saturday in the Blues' latest Sheffield Shield match against Victoria, the Bathurst seamer was struck on the torso by a James Patterson delivery.
It was clocked at 145 kilometres per hour.
While the impact, which came near his kidney region, left Copeland spitting up blood, he batted on for 14 more overs to make 20 off 48 deliveries.
It helped the Blues to reach 294 in their first innings.
Copeland bowled 15 overs before stumps that day, went for scans on Saturday night, then sent down 10 more overs on Sunday.
While he did not bowl again after a four-hour rain delay which ultimately led to the match being drawn, or take a wicket, the gutsy seamer was again the Blues' most economical.
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He finished with an economy rate of 2.04, with seven of his overs being maidens.
Copeland's team-mate Steve O'Keefe took 5-80 off his 33 overs of spin as Victoria reached 7-307 declared, NSW then putting on 129 without loss in its second innings as the game ended in a draw.
It leaves NSW undefeated on top of the ladder heading into their next match against second-placed Queensland beginning on Saturday at the SCG. Eight points currently separate them.
