Bushrangers Fail To Hold Top Bull

The Age

Monday February 26, 2007

LYALL JOHNSON

CHASING 275 to win, Victoria was last night hanging on in the Ford Ranger Cup final against Queensland at the MCG.

The Bushrangers lost three early wickets, and by the 25th over the comparative scores showed Victoria on 3-94 against Queensland's 1-104.

During the Queensland innings, Jimmy Maher struck a brilliant captain's century to help the Bulls post a defendable 5-274 off their 50 overs. The Bushrangers started their innings requiring 5.5 runs an over, but by the half-way stage this had blown out to 6.96.

Victoria's innings started brightly, with Jon Moss and Michael Klinger pushing the run rate along. Klinger, hitting freely, belted Scott Brant back over his head for a massive six, while Moss, carrying a side strain that prevented him bowling, helped keep the runs ticking over despite seeming out of sorts.

Both openers were caught behind - Klinger (23) off the bowling of Ashley Noffke and Moss (26) off Andy Bichel.

Rob Quiney put on 26 off 48 balls and looked settled before he was caught behind off the Chris Simpson's off spin.

David Hussey (8) and Cameron White (0) were the not out batsmen.

Queensland's total was set up by a fine 161-run partnership between Maher and Clinton Perren, who came together after James Hopes was removed by Darren Pattinson in his first over for 30.

Hopes had looked dangerous, but at the same time lived dangerously, having been dropped on 25 when he skied to deep cover. What should have been an elementary catch off Andrew McDonald fell through Jon Moss's hands.

Twice Hopes would have been run out by metres had throws hit the stumps.

Maher said during the week that he likes playing at the MCG, his second favourite ground after the Gabba, and it showed yesterday.

Putting the selection controversies of last week behind him, he reached his 100 from a single, and looked to push the run rate along with two more fours, before holing out to off Pattinson on the long-on rope.

Klinger, fielding in the deep, moved a few metres to his right and positioned his foot centimetres from the rope.

As the ball sailed high towards him, he looked set to jump in an attempt to take the catch.

However, the ball dipped and Klinger grabbed it at full stretch, his back arched well over the rope.

It was the breakthrough the Bushrangers needed. The Bulls' momentum was broken and Perren, after playing sensibly for his 75, tried to step inside a Mick Lewis yorker and flick it over the on side infield, only to have it collect his leg stump.

The Bushrangers would have faced a much higher total had the Bulls' tail been able to build on the base set by Maher and Perren.

Things did not look good for the Bushrangers when a radar-less Lewis went for 23 off his first three overs, and was dragged.

At the other end Shane Harwood was making life difficult for the Bulls with sheer pace, at one stage reaching 149km/h, and accuracy, with 0-9 off his first four overs.

Without Moss as a bowling option, Pattinson was used for his full complement of 10 overs, and returned the side's best figures of 2-49.

Harwood was unlucky not to get a couple of wickets early and ended with the unfair figures of 0-40, while Lewis paid back some of his early debt with two late wickets, for figures of 2-63 off nine overs.

Hussey, White and Andrew McDonald shared the rest of the bowling.

© 2007 The Age

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