New South Wales v Victoria, Pura Cup final, SCG

Siddle's pain is Victoria's gain

Cricinfo staff

March 16, 2008

	Peter Siddle captured Brad Haddin's wicket then went straight to the dentist © Getty Images

Peter Siddle, Victoria's early hero in the Pura Cup final, battled a severe tooth ache as he inflicted pain on New South Wales at the SCG. Siddle picked up the infection on Friday and was not able to eat during the initial exchanges of the contest, but it could not stop him from taking four wickets on day one and finishing with 5 for 66 as the Blues dropped to 281 early on the second morning.

He was forced to leave the field late in the final session for treatment on Saturday, but returned to capture the crucial wicket of Brad Haddin. As soon as he reached the dressing room he was taken to a dentist to deal with the problem.

"It's pretty nasty, one of those ones that might have to be pulled out," Cameron White, the captain, told AAP. "He was in quite a lot of pain.

"He had so many drugs and couldn't eat and he started to feel really ill as well. So it was a good effort to keep bowling for us. He has gone straight to the hospital now so hopefully some doctor can fix it up, pull them out or something for him. I think he'll be OK, he's a pretty tough lad."

Siddle showed no signs of the problem on the second morning and picked up his fifth victim when he had Nathan Bracken caught by David Hussey in the slips. It was his fourth five-wicket collection of the season and his 29th wicket in five Pura Cup games.

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