Quantcast

CA XI heartbreak as NSW win thriller

CA XI fall agonisingly short as NSW hold on to win by four runs against star-studded NSW

The Cricket Australia XI have come within one shot of causing the biggest upset in Australian domestic 50-over cricket history, going down to the star-studded NSW Blues by four runs.

Chasing 329 to win, Blues quick Gurinder Sandhu held his nerve in the final over to secure the win and kick-start NSW’s Matador BBQs One-Day Cup defence in tense fashion.

A brutal career-best knock of 164no from Moises Henriques lifted NSW to 6-328 after being sent in.

Quick Single: Bulls stay unbeaten after clinical chase

But a stunning 142-run partnership between CA XI skipper Will Bosisto and NSW-based batsman Ryan Gibson threatened to cause a boilover.

The tournament youngsters were in the box seat at 2-243 in the 42nd over before returning quick Pat Cummins seemingly broke the back of the CA XI run chase, taking three wickets in nine balls to stall the CA XI charge. 

"It was a bit of wakeup call today and we’re going to have to play better against Tasmania if we’re going to take the two points," Henriques said after play.

"We knew that we were going to have to bowl well, it was a fantastic wicket especially as more sun got on it. 

"After scoring 328 (sic) I thought we were going to have to bowl really well. They’ve still got some fantastic players in their team.

"I thought Ryan Gibson played really well. He was supported by Will Bosisto as well.

"Breaking that partnership was key for us. And then Matt Short came in at the end there and started striking a few around. It’s such a small ground and such a good wicket."

Henriques was in scintillating touch at his St George Premier Cricket home ground of Hurstville Oval, crashing 17 fours and four sixes in his 135-ball knock.

Henriques slams magnificent 164no

After admitting he didn’t perform as well as he would have liked during Australia’s winter tour of Sri Lanka, the 29-year-old was head and shoulders above the rest on Friday to once again put his name in front of selectors’ minds.

Henriques was part of two key partnerships for the Blues after Bosisto won the toss and elected to bowl under brilliant Sydney sunshine.

The NSW skipper combined with No.5 Kurtis Patterson to pile on 138 for the fourth wicket after the hosts were teetering at 3-80 in the 18th over.

Patterson departed for a well-timed 79, starting with patience and shots along the pristine Hurstville Oval carpet before going airborne in the later stages as the overs remaining dwindled.

K-Pat stars with flashy half-century

Australia Test 'keeper Peter Nevill then put on 98 with his skipper, contributing 30 with a variety of nudges, whips and the odd ramp shot.

Xavier Bartlett (2-47) was the pick of the CA XI bowlers after he rocked the NSW top-order with the wickets of Ed Cowan (3) and Nic Maddinson (8) in consecutive overs.

In their inaugural match last season, the CA XI were blown away by Mitchell Starc and co. for just 59, but on Friday (albeit without Starc) the tournament newbies stood toe-to-toe with their star-studded opponents.

Opening batsman Josh Inglis flew out of the blocks, at one point crashing four boundaries off one over from left-arm debutant Ben Dwarshius.

Inglis sets tone for CA XI attack


But the speedster would have his revenge when the Inglis skied a pull shot to the safe hands of Ed Cowan at mid-wicket, falling for a 50-ball 54.

Gibson and Bosisto kept up the attack to their senior foes, particularly against the spin of Test tweaker Nathan Lyon, whom they swept and danced down to with impunity. 

The 57-Test veteran went wicketless from his seven overs, finishing with 0-43 on a flat Hurstville Oval wicket.

The duo played with the audacity that complements youth, charging both spin and speed and hitting the star-studded bowling attack to all parts.

Gibson sparkles with stunning 97


Hampered by the loss of Dwarshius to a lower back injury in the 24th over, Blues captain Henriques turned to his express bowler Cummins to prise a wicket and get the tournament favourites back in the game.

Cummins delivered with three quick wickets, including the two set batsmen, to put the Blues back in control. Gibson was left to rue chopping on three runs short of his century, while next over Bosisto was well caught at short third man, and Sam Harper holed out to Maddinson at deep backward square leg first ball.

The hat-trick ball was kept out by Victorian Matthew Short and, with Queenslander James Bazley, they launched another counter-attack, plundering Cummins for 24 off the 48th over to reduce the target to 27 off 12 needed.

Bosisto bosses NSW bowlers


With 19 needed from the final over, Henriques shied away from Cummins for Sandhu and the towering quick responded with Bazley holing out to long-on from the first ball.

Sandhu followed up with a wide ball, and CA XI plundered 15 from the over. But when Short could only manage a single from the fifth ball, it left Arjun Nair on strike for the final – his first of the match. The highly-rated teenaged allrounder could only manage a leg-bye as the Blues held on.

"When Bos (Bosisto) and myself were out there we were thinking if we could keep it under 10 an over until the last 10 we were a good chance and hopefully one of us was going to stay there but both of us got out in quick succession," Gibson said.

"The boys are pretty happy with our performance and hopefully we can get a win next game.

"There’s a lot of belief (in the dressing room). Hodgey (coach Brad Hodge) wants us to be courageous when we play and I think the big thing this year is that we all know we’re good enough to be in this tournament and we’re trying to show we’re not just easy beats.

"Coming out against New South Wales today and making it a close game is going to show we’re not an easy beat-team."

New South Wales Blues: Cowan, Hughes, Maddinson, Henriques (c), Patterson, Nevill, Cummins, Dwarshuis, Sandhu, Lyon, Bollinger. Green (12th).

Cricket Australia XI: Carder, Inglis, Gibson, Bosisto (c), Harper, Short, Bazley, Nair, Lalor, Hatcher, Bartlett. Grimwade (12th).