Tasmania have avenged their Ryobi Cup final loss to South Australia in thrilling circumstances once more in the one-day clash at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, claiming a three-run victory with only a ball to spare.
The encounter was similar to last season's decider, but this time with the Redbacks doing the chasing, the hosts - poised at 9-218 - needed 11 runs from the final over to win with all-rounder Dan Christian (81 not out) and speedster Jake Haberfield (0) at the crease.
Christian, who face the first ball of the over from Tasmania quick Ben Laughlin (2-46), could not find the boundary rope as he and Haberfield had to scurry for runs.
The hurried movement between wickets eventually saw Haberfield run out as the Redbacks fell short of the 222-run victory target that was set up earlier in the day by a classy 47-run effort from Ricky Ponting and a batting cameo from off-spinner Jason Krejza (33).
Krejza was awarded man-of-the-match honours after cleaning up the Redbacks tail as well to finish with 4-35.
Keen to impress national selectors, Phil Hughes took charge of the Redbacks innings early with five boundaries and a six inside the opening eight overs.
But the run chase took a hit when former captain Michael Klinger – back in the side after recovering from a dislocated shoulder – dragged a James Faulkner (1-40) delivery onto his stumps for 15.
Tasmania's bowlers then gained the ascendency as Krejza claimed the important wicket of Hughes who cut late and edged to former Redbacks batsman Mark Cosgrove in the slips.
Callum Ferguson (24) and Tom Cooper (18) tried to respond until the former edged Xavier Doherty (2-50) to Cosgrove who dove at full stretch to take another catch.
Krejza continued the spin onslaught in the 26th over when he coaxed Cooper into playing a sweep shot that he top-edged and popped up to Tigers wicketkeeper Tim Paine.
The Redbacks managed to wrestle back momentum when Christian and impressive debutant Alex Ross (13) combined for 42 runs until Laughlin intervened.
Laughlin dismissed Ross first in the 37th over when the 20-year-old advanced down the crease and lofted to Jackson Bird at mid-off.
The medium pacer put himself on course for a hat-trick when Redbacks skipper Johan Botha edged a lazy shot through to Paine for a golden duck, but he was to be denied.
While Christian continued the resistance and late heroics for the Redbacks with a gallant half-century, Krejza tore through his partners.
Earlier, the Redbacks won the toss and elected to bowl in a decision that paid immediate dividends when the Tigers limped to 4-69 after Botha (3-42) had the visiting batsmen in a spin.
However, Ponting, who fell just short of a well-deserved half-century, and Aiden Blizzard (18) stabilised the innings.
Ponting smacked three boundaries and two sixes to add to the seven he thumped in an unbeaten 85 in Tasmania's huge Sheffield Shield win over the Redbacks earlier in the week.
The former Test and one-day skipper was in ripping form until he was dismissed in spectacular fashion by Haberfield (1-17) just shy of a second 50 this week.
Haberfield reacted brilliantly from a hard drive struck straight back at him to pluck an amazing one-handed reflex catch.
Ponting looked miffed with the dismissal, as suggestions arose that the right-hander was distracted by a swarm of bees that had gathered on the Adelaide Oval wicket.
Bees aside, Tasmania were able to power on courtesy of tailenders Faulkner (32) and Krejza (33), with the latter boosting his side's total with three sixes.
Krejza added a further 41 runs with Doherty (14) to repel some late aggressive bowling from Redbacks all-rounder Daniel Worrall (2-68) who enthralled on debut, to set the hosts set a target of 222.
First Posted 14 October, 2012 9:59PM AEST
