New South Wales 2 for 43 trail Victoria 199 (Maddinson 87, Abbott 6-38) by 156 runs
Sean Abbott pressed his case for a place in Australia's Ashes squad with a six-wicket haul and 19-year-old legspinner Tanveer Sangha enjoyed an impressive debut as New South Wales took control on the opening day against Victoria.
It has been a long wait for both these teams to get their season underway after numerous attempts were thwarted by border closures. Abbott wasted no time in making an impression with four wickets in the first session before Sangha, who has been part of Australia's T20I squad this year, shone in the middle of the day.
Abbott was part of the Australia bubble last season and is likely to be included in the enlarged squad this season especially after the retirement of James Pattinson. However, he told the Age and Sydney Morning Herald that he would leave the squad to be at the birth of his first child due at Christmas.
"It's an Ashes summer and I was in the Test tour to South Africa that didn't happen and the one here against India as well so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it," Abbott said after play. "I'll be honest I was very nervous today, didn't quite know where the first ball was going to go, but a few of us mentioned that we were quite nervous this morning having to wait so long to play some cricket."
Nic Maddinson was the mainstay for Victoria before he was last-man out for 87 after managing to add 53 for the last two wickets.
Abbott, who has been working to put on some pace pre-season, had got the better of the mini Test battle with Marcus Harris when the left hander was caught behind in the sixth over. Close to lunch he then cleaned up Peter Handscomb and made it clearly New South Wales' session when James Seymour, who had fought hard for two hours, was trapped in front.
Abbott's fourth came shortly after the break when Matt Short edged to slip before the innings was rebuilt by a 62-run stand between Maddinson and Jonathan Merlo.
Then Sangha was introduced on a pitch offering turn and bounce and only had to wait until his third over to strike as he lured Merlo out of his crease, found the edge as the batter tried to adjust with Peter Nevill taking a sharp catch.
Sangha's second was another excellent delivery as he found Sam Harper's edge with a leg-break and shortly before tea he had Mitch Perry caught at bat-pad with Victoria losing 4 for 20.
Senior spinner Nathan Lyon claimed one wicket in his 22 overs and was briefly taken to by Maddinson who sent him for two sixes. Maddinson also latched on to Sangha as he cut loose with the last two wickets for company but the return of Abbott wrapped up the innings.
Victoria were able to make inroads in the final 18 overs when Scott Boland removed Daniel Hughes, who played across a delivery from round the wicket, and Matthew Gilkes gave it away in the last over of the day with a wild drive against Short's offspin.
