Dream farewell leaves nightmare scenario for SA?

SA (397 and 1/30) had an unexpectedly easy 9 wicket win over WA (236 and 190) in Darren "Boof" Lehmann's final first class match. He certainly went out in style, making 167 in his only innings, capturing a wicket in each WA innings and taking a magnificent reflex catch off Jason Gillespie (which was shown on local TV) to end the WA second innings.

The Warriors were under strength because they'd suspended Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach for drinking transgressions but I expected them to fight harder in their second innings after the Gillespie and Lehmann triumphs in the first.

It didn't happen. Justin Langer, with two 30s, had a modest match and the Redbacks won with a day to spare, a rare event in recent times, and one which must have given them and their supporters some heart for the rest of the season. They are now fourth on the Pura Cup table.

Minus Lehmann the Redbacks batting looks thin. Mark Cosgrove, whose physique is far from thin at present, and underperforming skipper Nathan Adcock need to contribute more with the bat.

Adcock's second innings 3/30 shows that he's not a complete passenger, but he's not in the team for his bowling. Or should he be? Batting 7 or 8, which I think he did earlier in his first class career, would allow another specialist batsman to play, even if it required a rethinking of team balance. Enough musing for now.

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PS Richard Earle in today's Advertiser / Adelaide Now records Boof's swansong in first class cricket.

Redbacks batting supports fine Gillespie bowling

SA 1/75, WA 236: Day 1 Pura Cup match at Adelaide.

I didn't go to the cricket today but was pleased to see that the SA batting didn't collapse after their bowling led by Jason Gillespie (7/58 from 20 overs - his best ever at Adelaide Oval) dismissed the Warriors for 236. Brad Hogg's 68/42b (5x4, 6x6: most of the latter from Darren Lehmann) must have been worth watching.

The Redbacks lost Mark Cosgrove for a duck but Matthew Elliott and Callum Ferguson stayed together until stumps.

PS Why wasn't Cullen Bailey selected?

In today's Advertiser/ Adelaide Now SA coach Mark Sorell is quoted as justifying the omission of Shaun Tait from the Redbacks 4 day team on the grounds that Cricket Australia had requested it:

"CA do not believe that playing Shaun in back-to-back four-day domestic matches is in the best interests of his pending return to the Australian team," Sorell said.

"While we had hoped to play Shaun we are fully supportive of CA's decision.

"One of my jobs is to produce Australian players and we will do everything we need to do to see Shaun playing for Australia."

If he's really serious about producing Australian players, why doesn't he push for Cullen Bailey to be included in the Redbacks' four day team? Bailey played most of these games last season and, while he didn't set the cricket world on fire, he did enough to gain a Cricket Australia contract and selection in the Australia A team which toured India.

Lehmann farewells one day cricket with century...and SA win by 8 wickets

Following hard upon the heels of Darren Lehmann's announcement of his retirement from top cricket, the principal interest in the one day match between South Australia and Western Australia was likely be on the great man. And he didn't disappoint, producing a magnificent 126no/104b in an unbroken 236 partnership with Matthew Elliott 133no/137b to overhaul WA's formidable 6/305 with...wait for it... 18 balls to spare.

What a game.

The Warriors batted first and got off to a cracking start, despite losing Justin Langer cheaply. Luke Ronchi (the next Adam Gilchrist?) smote 69 from 58b and with Sean Ervine took the score to 104 from 100b, in the process testing both the bowling and ground fielding. When after 30 overs the Warriors had built the solid platform of 3/182, bearing in mind the rule of thumb of doubling the score in the last 20 overs, a huge score seemed likely. But it didn't quite work that way: Ervine stayed and scored, but others came and went: one, Mark Johnston, forced to retire hurt when his jaw was broken by a return from the field.

A final score of 6/305 looked sufficient, especially given the brittleness of the Redbacks batting, but to my spectator's eyes 19 from the last 4 overs was less than I expected, especially as the 4 overs before that had yielded 38.

Ervine finished with an impressive 134 no /129b: an innings of such class as to merit much media attention. Yet it wasn't to be as the Redbacks overcame early losses, Callum Ferguson brilliantly caught at fine leg by the otherwise hapless (see his bowling analysis) Shawn Gillies and a less than sprightly Mark Cosgrove run out, before the two former internationals came together.

They built their partnership by taking their time (relatively speaking) before hitting out when the Warriors attack, which included Brad Hogg, who looked ordinary if no worse than his team mates, wilted before the onslaught.

I was impressed with Boof's fitness: the weather was much cooler than the preceding week or so's run of 30 degree plus days, but I only noticed one Arjuna Ranatunga moment (ie walking an easy single), and that was in the middle of his innings.

Two magnificent innings - actually three, since Ervine deserves some sympathy, as he has twice now in a 50 overs game at Adelaide Oval made a century and been on the losing side. The other occasion? See here



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SA keeps best until last day of its season

Today South Australia produced its best day's cricket in this season's four day competition, beginning by adding 93 runs in 15.4 overs, declaring its second innings at 7/366, and then bowling WA out for 230, 62 runs short of the target.

The match turned decisively in SA's favour in the first 32 balls of WA's innings as the top four (Langer, Rogers, Marsh and North) fell to the SA pace attack of Ryan Harris and Jason Gillespie. This brought back memories of the NSW match earlier in the season where the Blues were 4/1, then 5/12 but still managed to make the 139 they needed to win. 292 was a tougher ask, but Adam Voges and David Bandy regrouped, adding 199 for the 5th wicket before the old reliable Gillespie got Bandy to snick one to the keeper and, for good measure, bowled Luke Ronchi next ball.

6/133 with the required run rate heading towards 5 an over made WA's task look hard, but not impossible. Voges did not bother to farm the strike too ostentatiously, and was content to give first Aaron Heal and then Steve Magoffin their heads. They punished some loose bowling from the Redbacks' spinners and it looked for a while as if WA's boldness might carry them to the outright victory they needed to secure a place in the final.

Just after tea Heal (29/ 28b) hit three boundaries off successive deliveries from Cullen Bailey, who then refocused and produced a ball which had Heal adjudged l b w. Magoffin was more circumspect against Bailey's improved line, length and spin , but he succumbed when Daniel Harris fumbled but held on to a low catch at slip. The end was then nigh, though Voges completed a very good century and Dan Cullen took the last two wickets to allow the Redbacks players to gather in an England-type huddle in the middle to celebrate their victory and, perhaps, lament the many disappointments of the season.

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[The pictures above show Ryan Harris and Daniel Cullen bowling to Steve Magoffin and Adam Voges respectively.]

Other matches

Tasmania defeated NSW outright in a match of big partnerships and big collapses at Hobart, while in a low scoring match at the Gabba Queensland overcame a poor first innings to defeat Victoria outright by 101 runs.

Pura Cup final

The final, to be played from Monday to Friday (!) next week, will thus be another Tasmania - NSW game at Hobart. Tasmania are a very good team, who have performed well all season and are deservedly well clear of the pack on the points table, but the Blues are expecting Simon Katich and Matthew Nicholson to return from injury. To claim the Pura Cup the Blues will need to beat the Tigers outright, a difficult but not impossible task given their experience (and maybe the Tigers' collywobbles). There's little doubt that most cricket followers outside NSW will be supporting Tasmania.

Media commentary on final

It's unlikely that ABC radio will be providing much in the way of commentary of the final as its weekday local radio schedules are built around talkback style programs with, apparently, a loyal following. Cricket followers for whom the World Cup is not only interest will need to rely on other sources, eg the Cricket Australia live internet coverage which, as a longstanding critic of its shortcomings, I'm happy to say has improved markedly to the extent where it's a genuine ball by ball commentary, with good descriptions of each ball and reasonably prompt postings.

Batting revival keeps match alive: SA v WA day 3

Western Australia were dismissed for 335, a lead of 75, which was a perhaps a little less than they'd have hoped for. In its second innings South Australia showed much more resolve than it had done for some time and ended the day on 5/273 (Nathan Adcock 95, Jason Borgas 83).

A lead of 198 sets the match up for something we've not seen at Adelaide Oval since the test against England: a substantial final day's play and the likelihood of a good, if not close,contest.

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[Posted on Sunday morning.]

WA take first innings points from SA on day 2

At stumps on day 2 WA 8/323 had a comfortable lead over SA's 260. The pitch is taking spin so the Warriors will need to restrict the Redbacks to a modest second innings score to be confident of winning outright.

They should, if this season's form is any guide, be able to do this, even though SA attack showed commendable fight, taking wickets just as matters looked like getting out of hand. My prediction about the importance of the first session was only partly correct: a third wicket stand of 123 between Chris Rogers (95), who batted much more assuredly than on day 1 and Shaun Marsh (49) rebuilt the innings. When Rogers was out it was 4/191, Marcus North (48) and Adam Voges (69) made sure that first innings points were secured.

Ryan Harris, who until recently seemed to have been typecast as a limited overs player, confirmed his improvement with a further two wickets while the spin trio Cullen Bailey (in photos), Dan Cullen and Nathan Adcock all bowled steadily enough to suggest that they're capable of better things in the second innings.

The weather may yet influence the game: today was another ideal day with the temperature staying, contrary to the forecast, below 30. 37 and all that that implies is forecast for Saturday, with a late change.

There is some possibility of rain on Sunday, but IM(non-expert)O result-preventing weather is even less likely than a Redbacks batting revival, which is saying something.

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Bowlers more impressive as 12 wickets fall: SA v WA day 1

At the Adelaide Oval today in ideal conditions - high 20s, mostly sunny with occasional clouds- South Australia won the toss, batted and made 260 all out. This was at least an improvement upon some of their other batting efforts this season, but it didn't look a competitive, let alone matchwinning, total until Western Australia lost 2/23 in 11 overs at the end of the day. In fact it still doesn't look particularly good as WA has some good batters to come and one of their two wickets thus far is that of the nightwatcher/ nightwatchman.

The outcome of the match may well be determined in the first session or so tomorrow when Jason Gillespie and Ryan Harris will resume the attack against Chris Rogers (whose batting hasn't yet enhanced the reputation which has preceded him here) and Shaun Marsh. Today was ideal cricketing weather, with a temperature in the high 20s, though for the next two days the forecast is for mid to high 30s. Neither side will want to spend too long in the field.

The photo above is of Gillespie, who with both bat and ball looked determined to prove that he's still a very good player. He made a characteristically gritty 15/ 52b. When he was out well caught at square leg by substitute Heron, he paused almost in disbelief before trudging off. With the ball he was, except for one short ball to Justin Langer, a model of probing economy. Ryan Harris, who bowled with zest and nip off the pitch, took both wickets to fall and, without diminishing his achievement, benefited from having Gillespie apply such a tight grip at the other end.

I know that I've praised Gillespie in a post earlier this week, but I don't apologise for continuing in that vein here, though I should disclose that other things precluded me from attending the ground until after tea. Tomorrow I hope to watch much of the day's play to see if my prediction comes true or, if not, how matters unfold.


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