Warriors down the Blues in a thriller

The Western Warriors have managed to hold on to pip the New South Wales Blues at the post in a gripping ING Cup contest.

Chasing a healthy Warriors target of 248, the Blues were left stranded one run short after beginning the penultimate over with only ten runs remaining. With the capable Dominic Thornely and Aaron O’Brien at the crease, it appeared the Blues would canter to victory.

Part time off spinner Marcus North dismantled the partnership when he had the hard hitting Thornely caught. This triggered a collapse, with Ben Edmondson rolling through O’Brien and Jason Krejza in successive deliveries, turning the match on its ear.

Tailenders Aaron Bird and Stuart MacGill were unable to clout the much needed boundary to secure the points, scraping only five runs off the final five balls.

Edmondson proved his worth as a death bowler with 2/55, while Australian quick Brett Dorey (2/28) and the emerging Steve Magoffin (2/49) were the pick of the WA bowlers. Part time spinner Adam Voges impressed with an economic 1/32 off his ten over allotment.

The Blues were dealt an early blow with inform Phil Jaques caught edging Dorey to Test opener Justin Langer for only four. Australian wunderkind Michael Clarke (75) and Craig Simmons (51) steadied the ship, staging a 106 run partnership.

Magoffin and Dorey then ran through the middle order, before O’Brien and Thornely came to the crease to forge their 98 run union. The rest, as they say, is history.

Earlier in the day, Blues left-armer Doug Bollinger sent shove waves through the Warriors top order, rattling the stumps of the dangerous Luke Ronchi for a duck off only the second ball of the morning.

Bollinger had the promising Shaun Marsh out for the same total, held by skipper Brad Haddin.

With the innings wobbling at 2/0, Australia A representatives Chris Rogers and Marcus North set about resurrecting the innings before the later skied one down the throat of former teammate Matthew Nicholson off Thornely.

Nicholson had proven erratic, thrashed for an expensive 34 runs off his four overs including four wides before Haddin elected to sub him out of the game for good – swapped for the off spinning Krejza.

When skipper Langer was caught driving at Bird, his side was in a perilous state – swaying in the breeze at 5/101 in the 20th over.

Voges and Worthington then set about starting the rescue mission, adding nearly 100 before the former was caught off O’Brien.

Some late innings slogging from Dorey and Bandy was just the tonic, ensuring that the WA bowlers had a decent total to defend.

The Blues still survive the cull, and are set to face off with the Southern Redbacks next week in the final of the ING competition.

Had MacGill and Bird managed to eek out an extra run, the title fight would be held on their home turf at the SCG. It was not to be, with both sides set to slog it out at the Adelaide Oval.

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