JACKSON Bird has taken his first wickets for Hampshire - and could make his first-team debut this weekend.

The Australian fast bowler has been unable to play for Hampshire since arriving six weeks ago, due to a neck injury.

But the 28 year-old played in two ECB T20 KO matches against the MCC Young Cricketers, which Hampshire won by 43 runs and seven wickets.

Bird opened the bowling with Chris Wood in both matches, taking 1-21 from his four overs in the first and 1-37 from three in the second.

Director of cricket Giles White said: “It was a good workout for Jackson, he bowled well in the first match and although he went for a few in the second the main thing is he’s back on track. The plan is for him to be in the squad for the T20 match against Glamorgan at Cardiff on Friday.”

Hampshire II made 182-4 in the day’s first innings. It was a total made possible by Joe Gatting’s 70 (44 balls, three sixes) and Adam Wheater’s unbeaten 53 (41 balls, one six). Together they shared a third-wicket stand of 64 from 46 balls.

Former Australia internationalBird caught and bowled New Zealander Shawn Hicks, an opening batsman, for a 26-ball 36 midway through the MCC YC’s chase.

He held on to another catch as Yasir Arafat (2-27) claimed his second wicket. Spinners Liam Dawson (4-0-16-1) and Brad Taylor (3-0-15-2) were Hampshire’s most economical bowlers as MCC Cs were restricted to 139-6.

Brad Wheal and Owais Shah were starred after replacing Wheater and Arafat for the second match. Wheal took 3-19 as MCC YCs were restricted to 133-8.

The rest of the wickets were shared around . Bird was expensive but bowled the MCC YCs’ number seven. Wood (1-15) and teenage spinners Mason Crane (1-16) and Taylor (1-15) impressed during their three overs. Dawson took 1-26 from four.

Shah shared a third-wicket stand of 92 from 69 balls with Dawson (42) on his way to an unbeaten 50 (47 balls) as Hampshire reached their target with 16 deliveries to spare.