A brilliant 91 from Ed Cowan and a four-wicket haul from Ben Hilfenhaus has helped Tasmania to a comfortable 48-run Ryobi One-Day Cup victory over South Australia at West Park Oval on Sunday.
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A brilliant 91 from Ed Cowan and a four-wicket haul from Ben Hilfenhaus has helped Tasmania to a comfortable 48-run Ryobi One-Day Cup victory over South Australia at West Park Oval on Sunday.
Cowan's knock, which included nine boundaries and a six, led Tasmania to a competitive total of 8-212 from 42 overs before South Australia were undone by some splendid bowling from Hilfenhaus (4-24 off nine overs) to be all out for 168 in reply in the 37th over.
The match was originally reduced to 44 overs per side after rain delayed the start of the play, but more showers late in Tasmania's innings forced an earlier end, with South Australia's target revised to 223 under the Duckworth-Lewis system.
The Redbacks' decision to bowl paid immediate dividends with Jake Haberfield bouncing back from two wides in his first two balls to claim Nick Kruger's wicket in the penultimate ball of the first over.
Kruger (four) was hit flush on the pads when playing across the stumps and despite the ball hitting the Tasmanian opener relatively high the umpire had no hesitation in raising his finger.
Dan Christian was brought into the attack in the sixth over and picked up Mark Cosgrove's wicket with his very first ball.
Cosgrove (three) was caught by Haberfield at third man after catching a thick edge off a wicked delivery that took off from the damp pitch to leave the hosts struggling at 2-18.
Captain George Bailey and Cowan combined for a steadying 42-run partnership, with the skipper taking a liking to the short deliveries served up by Christian as he blasted him for two sixes.
But just when he looked settled on 23, Bailey lost his wicket top-edging a Kane Richardson delivery straight down the throat of Borgas at third man.
That brought Evan Gulbis (eight) in, but he didn't last long, the former Victorian edging a Richardson delivery straight to Christian at first slip to reduce the hosts to 4-75.
Matt Johnston (12) offered some brief resistance before he feathered one through to Adam Crosthwaite off Richardson.
James Faulkner added some valuable runs with a quickfire 29 off 28 before he picked out Callum Ferguson with an off-drive off Theo Doropoulos.
Redbacks seamer Joe Mennie removed Jason Krejza (19) and Tom Triffit (zero) in the space of three balls before the heavens opened again, forcing the players from the field.
Richardson was the chief destroyer with 3-43, while Mennie (2-33), Christian (1-46), Haberfield (1-42) and Doropoulos (1-13) were the other wicket-takers.
In reply, South Australia's run chase started poorly, as Hilfenhaus bowled skipper Michael Klinger for two with the score on just 11.
Fellow top-order batsmen Ferguson and Crosthwaite followed Klinger back to the pavilion shortly after as the Redbacks reached 3-48 after 12 overs.
Christian joined Tom Cooper at the crease and the duo put on a healthy 37 runs, before Hilfenhaus bagged his second victim when he tempted Christian (seven) into chasing a wider delivery as Cosgrove held on to a tough catch.
With the scoring rate climbing to over a run a ball, Cooper and Cameron Borgas attempted to lift the run rate, but spinners Xavier Doherty (2-53) and Krejza (1-13) picked up a wicket apiece in quick succession to make the Redbacks' task even tougher.
At 6-126 and the required rate more than seven runs an over, Cooper was the visitor's last hope, but Hilfenhaus was re-introduced to the attack and he dismissed the 24-year-old batsman for 66 before claiming Richardson shortly after for nine, to ice the game for the home side.
