Blues bounce back to down WA

New South Wales kept their slim Marsh One-Day Cup title hopes alive with an impressive  all-round win over ladder leaders Western Australia in Sydney on  Wednesday.

After Daniel Hughes (152) and Matthew Gilkes (82) blasted the Blues to a huge 6-348 from 50 overs, speedster Harry Conway (3-30) and spinner Arjun Nair (3-59) led the way with the ball as the hosts bowled out WA for 271 to win by 77 runs.

Hughes backed up his unbeaten 112 on Monday with a career-best knock and his fifth 50-over hundred for NSW, the equal most for the Blues alongside Steve Waugh, Phil Jaques, Brad Haddin and Nic Maddinson.

He was supported by the in-form Moises Henriques (67) and young gun Matthew Gilkes, who blazed 82 from 51 balls with four sixes.

The win avenges the narrow eight-run loss on Monday at Drummoyne Oval where the Blues were in control before losing their way late in the run chase.

Hughes says they way the group rebounded from the defeat shows a lot about the character of the hosts.

"We were disappointed the other day, we thought we played really well for 60 of the 70 overs," Hughes told cricket.com.au.

"We had a good chat about that and we said when we get in that position again just be better for longer.

"I think the guys were a lot calmer under pressure today and it showed – Gilkes played an unbelievable innings and guys with the ball today when Philippe went hard in the powerplay they held their own and we were able take wickets throughout.

"It's good that we're learning from those experiences."

The massive total appeared well within WA's reach when Josh Philippe (64) cracked 24 from Daniel Sams' second over as the right-hander raced to his half-century from 41 balls.

But the introduction of Conway proved the turning point in the chase.  The towering quick removed D'Arcy Short (19) in the 12th over and then Philippe and Mitch Marsh in consecutive balls in his next over.

Marsh was spectacularly caught by youngster Jack Edwards, who soared full stretch to his left to reel in the catch in one hand.

"It was actually funny, we've been calling him 'Fumbles' for a few weeks because in training drills he hasn't been able to pick them up," Hughes said.

"So for him to take a screamer like that everyone was up and about for him."

Western Australia's pursuit rerouted through Hilton Cartwright's 74 and helping hands from Shaun Marsh (33) and Ashton Agar (30).

But Sean Abbott' (2-17 from 7.3 overs) finished the match with the wicket of Andrew Tye to end the match with 33 balls remaining. 

Hughes was imperious at the start of the day, lacing a series of boundaries to the off-side off both front and back foot to motor to 40, with opening partner Edwards at the other end on just one.

Hughes might have played a winning hand on Monday had he got on strike late in the innings and showed just what he is capable of by clearing the fence four times.

Twenty-three sixes were hit on the day but none were more impressive than those struck by Gilkes, who drove a full delivery off Tye over backward point for half a dozen, which might have been the pick of the lot.

Tye was the most expensive yet prolific of the WA quicks with 3-86 from 10 overs, while Nathan Coulter-Nile picked up 2-59 and Mitch Marsh 0-38 from eight.

The visitors' reply was fierce and fast as Philippe took the attack to the Blues, who lost paceman Sams to injury after bowling just two overs.

But once Conway made the initial breakthrough – Short caught by Hughes at mid-off – a collapse of 5-33 followed to put the brakes on WA's chase.

Cartwright kept his side in the fight with a bruising knock, but when he was trapped lbw by Nair, who had earlier bowled Shaun Marsh with a beauty, the match was all but over.

Skipper Marsh, who commanded an XI with 10 internationals, said his side is hurting but took nothing away from the impressive Blues. 

"I think they outplayed us in all facets of the game," Marsh told cricket.com.au.

"They batted beautifully, we missed a lot of opportunities in the field and we didn't quite execute with the ball, certainly through the middle periods.

"A very disappointing day for us. It hurts to get beaten by a very young, inexperienced NSW team but full credit goes to them.

"This one hurts but now we move to Shield cricket."

The win lifts NSW off the bottom of the ladder and gives Peter Nevill's men a faint hope of making the final, but would likely need to win their three remaining games against Tasmania (twice) and Victoria with a few bonus points to make the top two cut-off.

The Marsh Cup now takes a break for the Marsh Sheffield Shield, which starts on October 10. 

NSW: Daniel Hughes, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Matthew Gilkes, Nick Bertus, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Daniel Sams, Arjun Nair, Sean Abbott, Daniel Fallins, Harry Conway

WA: D'Arcy Short, Josh Philippe (wk), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh (c), Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye