BRISBANE – South Australian teenager Shaun Tait left Queensland on themat during his first visit to the Gabba today as the Redbacks surged tofirst innings points in the Pura Cup match.

Michael Crutcher19-Jan-2003BRISBANE – South Australian teenager Shaun Tait left Queensland on themat during his first visit to the Gabba today as the Redbacks surged tofirst innings points in the Pura Cup match.Tait took three wickets from his first 13 deliveries, including thescalp of Test batsman Martin Love, as Queensland was skittled for 129before South Australia edged to 2-136 at stumps on the first day.The 19-year-old Tait finished his eventful day by guiding the Redbacksto first innings points when he edged Michael Kasprowicz to thethird-man boundary during a shaky stint as nightwatchman.His return of 3-19 from nine overs looked much better than his streaky12 not out but the South Australians were smiling tonight afterrebounding from their embarrassing total of 83 during a one-day loss toQueensland on Friday.Captain Greg Blewett provided a quality knock of 66 but perhaps his mostimportant contribution came at the toss when he sent Queensland in on awicket which helped the bowlers.Tait, from the Adelaide Hills town of Dawesely, thought the wicketsettled down after lunch but he was then counting the wickets of Love(34), James Hopes (one) and Wade Seccombe (three) during his secondappearance for the Redbacks.With Paul Rofe (3-38) and Mark Harrity (3-37) also stranglingQueensland’s batsmen, the Redbacks laid the foundation for their secondaway win in as many years against the competition leaders.Tait had never been to the ground before he arrived for this match butit already ranks as one of his favourite venues.”I thought it would be a lot flatter and I didn’t think it would be asgood as that for bowlers,” Tait said.”It’s definitely different to Adelaide, but it doesn’t seem to bad forbatsmen when they get in.”Love, who fell to Tait’s first delivery, and the improving LeeCarseldine (41) were the only Queensland batsmen to “get in”, showingthe patience that was missing among some of their team-mates.The Bulls were in trouble at 3-17, losing Brendan Nash before a run wasscored while former skipper Stuart Law continued his dreadful summerwhen he was bowled by Harrity for four.Law has 97 runs from 10 completed Pura Cup innings this summer.Redbacks opener David Fitzgerald (40 not out) showed the necessarydiligence on the Gabba wicket, even if he went 77 minutes withoutscoring, to figure in a 98-run stand with Blewett.Fitzgerald was twice dropped on 19 off the bowling of Adam Dale (0-20),but Seccombe and Carseldine spilled tough chances.Blewett was on track for his third consecutive Pura Cup century at theGabba until he was bowled by Dawes, failing to offer a shot to theformer police officer.Dawes claimed the first wicket when he had Ben Johnson (15) caught off aleading edge by Carseldine at third slip.