Bushrangers win big
Wed, 20 January 2010
Victoria will face South Australia in the Twenty20 Big Bash final after the Bushrangers chased down Queensland's first-innings total of 149 with seven balls to spare in a six-wicket win at the Gabba on Tuesday night. An-unbeaten 60 (39 balls) from David Hussey, which included three fours and three sixes, helped the Bushrangers to victory after Queensland managed to snare four early wickets. Beginning the run chase, Victorian opener Aaron Finch was thanking his lucky stars when he was dropped by Nathan Rimmington (1-14) twice in the first three overs. Finch was enticed by Ryan Harris' short bowling to hook and the right hander obliged, flicking the first ball of the innings straight to Rimmington at short-fine leg. But the Queensland quick couldn't hold on and did it again two-overs later. It looked like Finch would make the Bulls pay as he started striking some well hit boundaries down the ground, but Rimmington had his revenge in the fourth over when Finch (22 off 15 balls) couldn't get enough elevation on his shot and hauled out to Ben Cutting at mid-on, the Bushrangers 1-29. The fall of the first wicket brought Ross Taylor (four off five balls) to the crease but after a big performance from the New Zealand international against the Bulls earlier this series, Cutting made sure he didn't fire up, when he trapped Taylor in front with a peach of a delivery in the seventh over. With Victoria needing 82 runs of 60 deliveries, Queensland earned a massive break when a comfortable Brad Hodge skied high off Harris to Batticciotto at deep-mid wicket, the Bushrangers opener departing for 30 off 28. The first six of the Victorian innings came in the 13th over when captain Cameron White picked up a full delivery from James Hopes on leg stump and drove it into the crowd 15 rows back. With David Hussey and White moving the Bushrangers to 3-91, Daniel Vettori played his part in the Queensland defence when he bowled four dot-balls to frustrate the Bushrangers pair in the 14th over. As Cutting steamed in from the Vulture Street end in the following over, White mistimed and sliced high to Andrew Symonds at cover, giving the Bulls some hope as the Bushrangers sat at 4-102. With the game hanging in the balance, Hussey managed to get his eye in and took a liking to the Queensland attack, smacking three sixes to reduce the run-rate considerably. Hussey's 41-run partnership with Andrew McDonald proved match winning as the Bushrangers reached the Bulls target with seven balls to spare. Hussey notched up the winning run in comical circumstances when his shot skied high to mid-on. Simpson and Hopes ran in but couldn't decide who should take the catch, allowing the ball to fall safely between them.
by Mark Pangallo at the Gabba, Sportal
