Tasmania v Victoria, FR Cup, Hobart

Top-of-the-table Tigers take a tumble

Cricinfo staff

December 15, 2007

Victoria 257 (Quiney 78, Geeves 3-49) beat Tasmania 231 (Bailey 58, Nannes 3-28, McGain 3-32) by 26 runs
Scorecard

Dirk Nannes helped to derail Tasmania's chase © Getty Images

Dirk Nannes and Bryce McGain bowled Victoria to a 26-run win against the competition leaders Tasmania after Rob Quiney's 78 set the Bushrangers up. But while Victoria had a strong chance of gaining the bonus point by dismissing the Tigers for under 205 an entertaining 58 from George Bailey denied the visitors and even gave Tasmania a late sniff of victory.

They had been 5 for 100 chasing 257, before Bailey's fightback. However, three wickets each to McGain and Nannes kept Victoria on top. In his new-ball spell Nannes bowled the form batsman of the competition, Michael Dighton, and he returned to add two more victims. Nannes was fast and accurate and made up for the waywardness of his opening partner, Peter Siddle, who took 1 for 70 from ten overs.

McGain showed he is as competent in coloured clothing as in the four-day game, taking 3 for 32 and removing the two danger men, Dane Anderson (46) and Bailey. Anderson was caught when he cut uppishly to a ball that surprised him with bounce and Bailey was bowled by a flatter, straighter delivery for 58. It ended his 56-ball stay which included three sixes, two of which resulted in the fourth umpire bringing out a replacement ball.

Victoria were on track for a 300-plus score when Quiney and David Hussey combined for a 92-run stand, but the Tigers hit back strongly when the partnership ended, leaving the score at 3 for 174. Quiney, whose 78 came from 95 balls, chipped to deep backward square, where Brett Geeves accepted a great diving catch, and Hussey departed nine runs later for 42.

Matthew Wade (3) and Adam Crosthwaite (1), who have been swapping the wicketkeeping duties for the Bushrangers, both fell to the Tasmania spinners as Victoria lost 4 for 18. Wade was bowled by a big-turning delivery from Dan Marsh and Crosthwaite was caught behind off Xavier Doherty.

Andrew McDonald held things together for a while with John Hastings until he became Geeves' second wicket on 28. Aiden Blizzard had started strongly with a 42-ball 46 and McDonald also reached the forties, but he was left stranded when Victoria were dismissed for 257 with eight balls remaining. Geeves collected 3 for 49 and was supported by Brendan Drew and Marsh, who each grabbed two wickets.

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