Handscomb ton leads Vics to strong win

Peter Handscomb made a dashing 103 not out to steer Victoria to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Cricket Australia XI in their JLT One-Day Cup clash against Victoria at Hurstville Oval.

Chasing 233 to win, Victoria made a strong start via Marcus Harris (37) and Cameron White (27), racing to 62 in the 12th over.

A mini-collapse of 3-12 gave the CA XI young guns hope, however Handscomb, who needed only 73 balls to bring up his second List A hundred, and Seb Gotch (51no from 59 balls) teamed up to lead their team to a comprehensive win in the 39th over.

Earlier, Harry Nielsen produced a career-best innings to lift the CA XI to a respectable total after a dramatic early collapse.

Making only his fourth List A appearance, the 22-year-old from South Australia blasted six sixes and five fours on his way to a highly impressive 94 from 93 balls.

Nielsen, the son of former Australia coach and South Australia gloveman Tim Nielsen, arrived at the wicket with the Cricket Australia XI teetering at 4-36 after a top-order collapse and was forced to watch on in horror as his team slipped to 6-45 after being sent in to bat.

Nielsen and Mac Wright (30) then combined for a 59-run stand, before Steketee contributed 28 in a 53-run stand.

The No.6 and Charlie Stobo (25 not out) put on a further 55 to drag the CA XI past 200 before Nielsen’s fine hand was ended by Matt Short.

Despite their early wobbles, the CA XI reached 9-232 from their 50 overs.

Chris Tremain (3-51) was the best of the Bushrangers’ bowlers and was on a hat-trick at one stage, while Short also performed admirably (2-59). Reliable paceman Peter Siddle was at his miserly best, returning 2-20 from 10 overs. 

Victoria made just one change from their last-start loss to Queensland on Sunday - Will Pucovski ruled out with concussion and replaced by Blake Thomson, who is making his List A debut.

For the CA XI, Jonathan Merlo and Henry Thornton dropped out of the starting XI, with Wright and Stobo stepping up. 

The Bushrangers move into third spot with 10 points, while the CA XI are at the foot of the ladder with four points after the lone win first-up against South Australia.