Vics come from behind to topple Tigers
Victoria have recorded their first win of the one day domestic season, downing a Ricky Ponting-led Tasmania by 55 runs at the MCG.
In their first match on the hallowed turf of Yarra Park in two seasons, the Bushrangers earned an unlikely bonus point in skittling the Tigers in the 44th over with 55 runs still to be found.
Although the Tigers appeared to be in the box seat for most of the match, a choking ten over spell from Jon Moss and a fiery three wicket effort from Mick Lewis proved too much, Tasmania left to rue an opportunity gone begging.
Chasing a more than gettable 201 for victory, Tasmania began their pursuit in fine fettle, adding 52 before the first wicket tumbled, that of the veteran Michael Di Venuto, who was spectacularly caught one handed by all-rounder Andrew McDonald at mid off, departing for 27.
The loss of Di Venuto brought Ponting to the crease, the Australian leader receiving a warm reception at the home of cricket. But his stay was short lived, the captain dismissed by McDonald for only ten, leaving his side at 2/74. Three runs later it became 3/77, with all-rounder Jonathon Moss dismissing Travis Birt for a unceremonious duck.
Opener Tim Paine proved the mainstay of his sides dig, adding a handsome 56 before he, too, heard the death rattle, former Tasmanian teammate Denton making a mess of his stumps, leaving his team in need of a steadying partnership with the scoreboard showing 4/108 in the 31st over.
Unfortunately for the travellers, that partnership never quite eventuated, with George Bailey (caught off Lewis, 13), Dean Anderson (lbw to Lewis, 0) and the normally reliable Dan Marsh (run out, 3) all falling within the space of six overs for only 11 runs, a chase which once looked a formality now floundering at 7/119, Tiger blood well and truly in the water.
Some sensible batting from Luke Butterworth proved in vain, adding 26 runs with the tail before he became Clinton McKay’s inaugural domestic one day scalp, departing in the 44th over with still some 55 runs required.
The spoils went to paceman Mick Lewis, who proved the game breaker with 3/32 from his eight overs, figures which would have looked even more impressive had his second over proved water tight, instead leaking 12 runs.
The rest of the bowling pack, Denton, McKay, Moss and McDonald all nabbed a wicket apiece, with the latter snaring the vital scalp of Ponting. Moss’ efforts should not be underestimated, however, his ten over spell a miserly one, only a mere 20 runs to be found. Coupled with a run out and a handy 18 run dig, Man of the Match honours went the way of the likeable Victorian.
Earlier in the day, Victoria’s opening assault, led by Michael Klinger and Brad Hodge, was short lived, when the former was dismissed by persistent paceman Adam Griffith for five. He was soon joined in the pavilion by Dave Hussey, who scratched out seven before he lost his stumps, once more off the bowling of Griffith, the former Australia A representative’s nagging line and length proved a worry for the home side throughout his allotted ten overs.
The innings’ staple was provided by skipper Cameron White, who kept the runs ticking over with a competent 50 off 76 deliveries, before disaster struck in the form of Luke Butterworth. Bushrangers all-rounder Jonathon Moss struck the ball with force back towards the medium pacer, who managed to get a finger tip to the leather as it whistled by. The deflection tipped the bails off the timber, replays displaying White storming up the pitch, caught well short of his ground, his efficient knock coming to an abrupt close.
With the home side in grave danger of posting less than 200 runs, the tail was forced to wag, and wag it did, through debutant Clinton McKay and fellow quick Gerard Denton. Following the dismissal of Grant Lindsay, run out for nought by captain Ponting, the pair set about keeping the state on course via a 29 run stand.
McKay, a 23 year old paceman from Essendon, proved more than able with the willow in striking a useful 27 in good time, before he became Griffith’s third victim of the day, skying deep to Michael Di Venuto. The Bushrangers left the field for the interval having tallied up a below par 200, some heroics with the ball from Mick Lewis and Denton the order of the day.
The buoyant Bushrangers will hope to repeat the dose when two sides meet once more at the MCG for their Pura Cup clash, starting on Tuesday the 14th. The match highlight, no doubt, will be a rare face off of two of Australian cricket’s champions, Ponting of Tasmania, and Shane Warne of Victoria.
Victoria innings:
M KLINGER c Bailey b Griffith 5 (13)
B HODGE c & b Geeves 30 (35)
C WHITE run out (Butterworth) 50 (76)
D HUSSEY b Griffith 7 (13)
A McDONALD b Butterworth 14 (25)
J MOSS c Butterworth b Hilfenhaus 18 (32)
A CROSTHWAITE c & b Hilfenhaus 16 (31)
G LINDSAY run out (Ponting) 0 (1)
G DENTON c Bailey b Geeves 13 (29)
C McKAY c Di Venuto b Griffith 27 (35)
M LEWIS not out 6 (9)
Extras (4b, 4lb, 2nb, 4wd) 14
Total: All out for 200
Fall: 1-10, 2-54, 3-65, 4-110, 5-126, 6-149, 7-150, 8-154, 9-183, 10-200.
Bowling: A Griffith 9.3-0-45-3 (1wd), B Hilfenhaus 10-0-33-2 (1nb, 3wd), B Geeves 10-0-45-2 (1nb), L Butterworth 10-1-36-1, D Marsh 10-1-33-0
Batting time: - minutes. Overs: 49.3
Tasmania innings:
M Di VENUTO c McDonald b Lewis 27 (37)
T PAINE b Denton 56 (86)
R PONTING c Crosthwaite b McDonald 10 (22)
T BIRT b Moss 0 (10)
G BAILEY c Hodge b Lewis 13 (41)
D MARSH run out (McKay) 3 (17)
D ANDERSON lbw b Lewis 0 (1)
L BUTTERWORTH c Lewis b McKay 20 (27)
B GEEVES run out (Moss) 3 (12)
B HILFENHAUS run out 1 (3)
A GRIFFITH not out 2 (3)
Extras (6lb, 4wd) 8
Total: All out for 145
Fall: 1-52, 2-74, 3-77, 4-108, 5-113, 6-113, 7-119, 8-137, 9-138, 10-145.
Bowling: M Lewis 8-1-32-3 (1wd), G Denton 9-2-23-1, C McKay 9.1-1-34-1 (3wd), J Moss 10-0-20-1, A McDonald 7-0-30-1.
Batting time: - minutes. Overs: 43.1
Result: Victoria won by 55 runs (Bonus Point)
MOTM: J Moss (Vic)
Toss: Tasmania
Umpires: B Oxenford and A Ward
12th men: R Quinley (Vic) and B Drew (Tas)
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