Victoria have pulled off the biggest run chase in Australian domestic one-day history to beat NSW by six wickets in a high-scoring Ryobi Cup encounter at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
Set 351 to win, the Bushrangers reached their target with 20 balls to spare thanks mainly to centuries from ex-Australia T20 representative Aaron Finch (140) and David Hussey (140 not out).
It easily surpasses the previous best total chased down in interstate matches when the Blues reeled in 318 in the corresponding fixture 12 months ago.
NSW's total of 350 was the fifth-highest recorded in the first innings of a domestic one-dayer but it always looked 30-40 runs short on such a tiny ground.
Finch continued his rich vein of form, peppering the heritage-listed stands with 10 sixes and eight fours in a 124-ball stay of genuine quality.
Hussey was in even more of a hurry, his knock lasting just 82 balls and featuring eight sixes and 10 fours.
Finch and Hussey put on 156 for the third wicket before the opener took on Moises Henriques (2-66) but only succeeded in top edging a catch to Scott Henry on the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Hussey was there until the end, fittingly bringing up the winning runs with yet another six.
The win maintains Victoria's spot at the head of the Ryobi Cup table while the Blues have one victory from two.
The Blues' innings was underpinned by a breezy 92 from all-rounder Steve Smith, which formed part of a 108-run partnership with Peter Nevill (39 off 31) for the fifth wicket.
Smith cracked 10 fours and three sixes in an entertaining 67-ball innings before lobbing a simple caught-and-bowled to left-arm spinner Clive Rose (1-75).
Smith swiped his bat in disgust at getting out so softly, knowing a century was his for the taking.
Opener Scott Henry (61 off 72 balls) was NSW's next best contributor, with several others making solid starts but failing to go on with it.
The Blues had set themselves 350 as the bare minimum but were always up against it once Finch and Hussey got into their stride.
Henriques was the pick of the bowlers but the rest of the attack was expensive, the Bushrangers clouting 19 sixes in all.
First Posted 18 November, 2012 7:01PM AEST
