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Cutting blasts Bulls to RYOBI Cup win

Allrounder Ben Cutting's stunning unbeaten 98 off 48 balls turned Sunday's match on its head and carried Queensland to a 26-run win over Ryobi Cup one-day competition leaders Victoria.

Scorecard

Reigning champions Queensland were teetering at 6-168 in the 38th over, only for Cutting to lash nine enormous sixes and lift his side to the highest total of the season - 8-305 from their 50 overs - at North Sydney Oval.

The end of the innings came with Cutting just shy of a maiden one-day century and within sight of Luke Ronchi's record fastest century in the competition, achieved off 56 balls in the 2006/07 season.

QUICK SINGLE: RYOBI CUP fixture and table

In reply Victoria scored runs at a consistent rate, but were always hampered by a regular loss of wickets in the rematch of last year's finalists.

Cutting also contributed 2-62 with the ball, claiming the key wickets of Cameron White (51) and David Hussey while fellow paceman Luke Feldman led the way with 5-56.

Rob Quiney hit a run-a-ball 59 for the Vics while the in-form White reached his third half-century in as many matches before being caught on the boundary.

Earlier, Victoria's Test paceman Peter Siddle bowled with good speed and bounce in taking 3-43 off his 10 overs in his first outing of the domestic season.

Usman Khawaja and Chris Lynn put on 59 for the third wicket for Queensland but wickets fell at regular intervals following the dismissal of Lynn for 41.

Opener Khawaja staked his claim for next month's first Ashes Test, looking solid throughout his knock of 62 from 80 balls, before tickling a bottom edge to the wicket-keeper off the bowling of Dan Christian.

However, Victoria's early good work with the ball was undone as Cutting helped Queensland wallop 117 runs off their final 10 overs.

Despite his batting heroics, Cutting said he hadn't done anything different in his approach to batting.

"I knew with the short boundary and wind going across the wicket we could pick up any number of runs," he said.

"If anything I have been working more on my bowling than my batting."

Cutting was reluctant to be drawn on the possibility of Australian selection.

"If it happens, it happens," he said.

"I just have to stay on the park, and stay fit."

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.