Kuhnemann, Hope stun NSW with record ninth wicket stand

Unlikely Tasmanian batting pair Matt Kuhnemann and Brad Hope have produced a record ninth wicket stand to snatch victory from NSW in the final over of the opening match of the men's domestic season.

It came after experienced New South Welshman Kurtis Patterson started his Ashes audition with a sterling century, but his Blues slipped to a two-wicket One-Day Cup loss to the Tigers.

Patterson, watched by Australia's men's selection chair George Bailey, struck 110 from 125 balls in the Blues' 224 all out on Tuesday.

Tasmania, with another Ashes hopeful Jake Weatherald making 28, were reeling at 8-124 in the 26th over at Cricket Central in Sydney.

But Matt Kuhnemann (56no from 71 balls) and Brad Hope (49no from 91) produced a stunning unbroken 101-run stand for the ninth wicket to win with four balls to spare.

It was the highest ninth wicket partnership in the competition's 56-year history, eclipsing the previous best of 96 scored by Tasmanians Tom Triffitt and Xavier Doherty, and NSW pair Scott Thompson and Shawn Bradstreet.

"It was probably not our best top seven batting but we bat really deep, we pride ourselves on taking games deep and we did that today," stand-in Tasmanian captain Beau Webster said post-match.

"(Kuhnemann) batted really well last week up in Brisbane in a couple of practice games and I think he fancies himself as a bit of a batter, he wants to get higher up the order so that's maybe a little nod to the selectors and the captain.

"But he batted excellent, he bowed beautifully and he's a massive asset since we got him down from Queensland and showed why today."

Patterson played two Tests for Australia in 2019 and boasts an average of 144 – he made 30 and 114no in his two knocks against Sri Lanka.

The left-hander was discarded when Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft had served their ball-tampering suspensions.

But Patterson returned to Test discussions with prolific run-scoring in the Sheffield Shield last season, compiling 743 runs at 57.15.

On Tuesday, the 32-year-old dominated the Blues' innings – after his century the next-best was Moises Henriques whose 41 from 51 balls featured two sixes.

Tanveer Sangha (26 from 35) was the only other NSW batter to reach double-figures.

Patterson reached his second career one-day century from 113 deliveries as the Blues were bowled out in 49.4 overs.

Test allrounder Webster took 3-41, white-ball specialist Nathan Ellis (3-37) and spinner Nikhil Chaudary (2-39) also enjoyed multiple wickets.

Tasmania's run chase faltered early with Mitch Owen out for nine and Webster bowled for a golden duck – both dismissed by debutant paceman Ryan Hadley (2-44) in the second over.

Stand-in Blues skipper Sean Abbott (2-48) then snared two quick wickets to leave the Tasmanians 4-42 after seven overs.

Weatherald, who was recently put on the Test radar by selection chief Bailey, put on 54 runs with veteran Matthew Wade.

But Weatherald's 51-ball innings ended when he smacked a rank short ball from tweaker Ollie Davies (1-11) straight to Hadley on the deep midwicket boundary.

Tasmania's hopes appeared over when Wade (40 from 41 balls) was caught and bowled by Sangha (2-34), with Ellis (1) dismissed shortly after to leave the visitors 8-124 in the 26th over.

But Kuhnemann and Hope produced their defining partnership, with the former edging through a vacant slips area off Liam Hatcher for the winning boundary with four balls to spare.

One-Day Cup 2025-26 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Total points PTS
1 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	5	5	0	0	0	0.954	0	2	22
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	5	3	2	0	0	0.426	0	1	13
3 NSW Men NSW	5	2	3	0	0	0.478	0	2	10
4 South Australia Men SA	5	2	3	0	0	-0.593	0	2	10
5 Western Australia Men WA	5	2	3	0	0	-0.126	0.5	1	8.5
6 Victoria Men VIC	5	1	4	0	0	-1.166	0	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

PTS: Total points