![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/fih15Bk0Dm.jpg\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Tom Straker<\/a> produced his career-best innings and match hauls in first-class cricket to help Queensland beat Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.<\/p>\n Straker\u2019s career-best trumps Brasher\u2019s valiant debut effort <\/p>\n In 2024, Straker had taken 13 wickets to help Australia win their fourth U19 World Cup. He made his first-class debut later that year, and had 18 wickets in nine games in the format when Queensland took field against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield game at the MCG.<\/p>\n After being shot out for 160<\/a>, Queensland hit back to reduce the hosts to 11-5 and then 48-7 before they recovered to 144. Straker finished with 3-43.<\/p>\n Queensland then posted 236 to set a target of 242. Straker then took out the first three Victoria batters to reduce them to 34-3, but the hosts recovered well to finish the day on 150-6 in 70 overs. <\/p>\n In conditions that assisted seam, visiting captain Marnus Labuschagne turned to his spinners while waiting for the second new ball. However, Mitchell Swepson<\/a> struck twice even before he could claim it: he had Fergus O\u2019Neill leg-before and Sam Elliott caught at mid-off, and Victoria became 182-8.<\/p>\n As the fast bowlers returned, new man Todd Murphy lofted Straker for six over mid-wicket before Michael Neser beat his bat and hit the off-stump. Debutant Dylan Brasher, who had come out at No.5, now had little option but to go for the runs. With 43 left, he hit Straker to Labuschagne to deep extra-cover.<\/p>\n