Plucky Bushrangers Just Fall Short

The Age

Saturday October 14, 2006

By LYALL JOHNSON, PERTH

AFTER looking as if they were gone for all money, Victoria's Grant Lindsay and Jonathan Moss staged a thrilling rearguard action to steer the Bushrangers to within 12 runs of an unlikely victory over the Western Warriors in the Ford Ranger Cup one-day match at the WACA Ground last night.

With two overs to go, Victoria needed 24 runs to snatch the win.

But in their urgency to scramble an extra run from Lindsay's cover drive, the youngster from Ocean Grove was caught short by two metres by Sean Ervine's throw. Moss then went down swinging in the final over, holing out to Justin Langer off the bowling of former Zimbabwean Ervine. Both finished on 59.

Having bundled Western Australia out for a gettable total of 260 - when early on, it had looked like posting a score exceeding 300 - Victoria's top order crumpled under the weight of expectation.

Michael Klinger was the first to go, caught behind off Brett Dorey for one, and he was followed back to the dressing room in the seventh over by Cameron White - who made 12, having been elevated to the No. 3 spot after his impressive England county season - when a Steve Magoffin delivery held up on his cover drive, which spooned to Shaun Marsh at cover.

David Hussey joined Brad Hodge at the crease with Victoria floundering at 2-28 and made 26 of the next 60 runs before cutting a ball off Ben Edmondson to Adam Voges at point. The partnership had been a solid one, with the pair regularly finding the middle of the bat and showing good understanding to sneak plenty of quick singles.

With WA sitting comfortably on 3-143 from 28 overs, Hussey strolled in for his second over of off spin and enticed Warriors' vice-captain Marcus North down the pitch and his lofted drive found Gerard Denton at long-on. Four overs later, Hussey had Langer caught at backward short leg.

The WA skipper was back in the dressing room for six and the Warriors were 5-160.

Shane Harwood was the pick of the Bushrangers' bowlers, capturing 5-40 off 9.4 overs, including the wicket of man-of-the-match Voges. To his 82, Voges added 2-27 with his left-arm orthodox spin, including the wicket of Hodge, with the match delicately balanced at 4-123. Hodge was bowled around his legs trying to sweep.

? Shane Warne yesterday flew into Perth to join the Bushrangers ahead of the Pura Cup match, starting tomorrow.

© 2006 The Age

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