South Australia avoided an embarrassing loss to beat Victoria by one wicket and claim a bonus point in a scintillating finish to the Ryobi One-Day cup clash at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
The Redbacks were on the verge of posting one of their lowest limited overs score ever at the Adelaide Oval after being reduced to 8-83 at one stage before a match-salvaging unbeaten half-century to Tom Cooper (60 not out) ensured the hosts scrapped to victory at 9-124 in the 36th over.
Having bowled out the Bushrangers for a paltry 123, the Redbacks were on track at 0-45 after eight overs until Bushrangers spinner Jon Holland took an incredible six-wicket haul as the hosts self-destructed.
Several Redbacks top-order failed to reach double digits as Holland finished with 6-29 from 12 overs to record the sixth best bowling figures in limited overs history.
Despite wickets tumbling around him Cooper fought valiantly, even receiving late support from tailender Gary Putland (6) as the duo put on a ninth-wicket 37-run partnership.
The bonus-point victory assures the Redbacks of a Ryobi Cup final spot while the loss puts an end to the Bushrangers' lingering hopes of a late appearance.
The Redbacks were cruising early until opener Dan Harris (11) departed following an athletic one-handed catch from Victorian wicketkeeper Ryan Carters to ignite an improbable collapse.
Redbacks captain Michael Klinger was next only three balls later when Holland claimed the skipper's prized scalp for 32 before dismissing Callum Ferguson (two).
Cam Borgas popped an Andrew McDonald (2-28 from 10 overs) delivery to Aaron Finch for a sharp catch in the 14th over before Holland returned to the bowlers end with a double-wicket maiden an over later.
With two bamboozling deliveries, Holland fooled James Smith (two) for a simple stumping before teasing tailender Aaron O'Brien (zero) to wander down the wicket and hit the ball straight back to the Victorian left-armer.
Holland produced another double-wicket effort in the 24th over trapping Redbacks gloveman Adam Crosthwaite (five) before finding the edge of speedster Joe Mennie's bat for a duck.
However throughout all the mayhem Cooper remained stubborn at the crease as he battled fiercely to repel the Bushrangers' bowlers.
Cooper managed to rotate strike frequently with Redbacks paceman Putland, who was also proving a stumbling block for the visitors, to steadily steer the home side towards the victory target.
The Australia A batsman took a series of risks in desperation, smashing nine boundaries in total before Putland was bowled by Jayde Herrick to ensure a tense finish.
Cooper was undaunted though as he leant forward and belted an outstanding four over mid-wicket to accomplish a nerve-wracking win for the Redbacks.
Earlier, the Redbacks fast bowlers reduced the Bushrangers to the lowest score ever recorded by a Victorian side at the Adelaide Oval as they enforced a top-order collapse of 5-35 followed by a lower-order meltdown for 5-13.
Menacing spells of bowling from paceman Jake Haberfield with 4-30 from 9.2 overs and the injury-returning Putland with 2-18 from nine sparked the dramatic folds early and late in the Bushrangers' innings.
Putland who had not played for the Redbacks since injuring his hamstring in a Shield game against New South Wales in November 2011, set the tone for the match in the opening over when he dismissed Bushrangers opener Rob Quiney and Cameron White for ducks.
Ryan Carters was the best for the Bushrangers with 44 after making an amends for an early calamitous mix-up with Finch (20), smacking four boundaries and an impressive six whilst combining for a 75-run partnership with tailender Will Sheridan (31).
