Redbacks dispose of Tasmania

A half century by Callum Ferguson and an unbeaten 40 by Matthew Elliott has guided South Australia to their third ING Cup victory this season following a three-wicket triumph over Tasmania in Hobart today.

Set a somewhat modest 226 to win on a good batting surface, the Redbacks made a horror start to the chase after falling to 3-29, but Ferguson's man-of-the-match effort of 68 put the visitors back on track, while Elliott, who batted down the order due to a finger injury, steered South Australia home with 11 balls to spare.

The win propels the Redbacks to second on the table with 12 points, behind New South Wales on 16, while the Tigers sit in fifth position with six points.

Tasmania had won the toss earlier in the day and decided to bat first on what was seemingly a perfect batting surface, with Tim Paine (45 from 69) and Travis Birt (29 from 36) thriving in the conditions as the Tigers reached 0-61 in the 13th over.

With Birt's dismissal at 1-61, Michael Di Venuto (27 from 26) left off from where the aggressive opener started from as he blasted the home side past 100 without any further wickets lost.

However, when Paine played on to Cullen at 2-112, that commenced the dominoes effect, which saw the Tigers lose 4-17 in 44 balls to collapse to 5-129.

Scott Kremerskothen (46 from 48) and Adam Polkinghorne (22 from 23) put Tasmania back on track with a 48-run stand, while Xavier Doherty (10 from 20) assisted Kremerskothen in a 40-run stand after Polkinghorne fell at 6-177.

Doherty and Adam Griffith fell in consecutive balls to Greg Blewett, leaving the Tigers at 9-217, before Kremerskothen attempted a backwards paddle off Mark Cleary, only managing to loop the ball into the air, finding the safe gloves of keeper Graham Manou four short of a half ton.

Cleary was the stand-out bowler with 3-43 as Tasmania were dismissed for 225 in the 48th over, while Blewett (2-14), Darren Lehmann (2-28) and Dan Cullen (2-38) all found their share of the wickets.

With a bonus point on the cards for the visitors, the Tigers hastily congested those plans as opener Mark Cosgrove, who has averaged over 100 in both domestic competitions combined this season, was bowled for a golden duck by Ben Hilfenhaus.

A further two quick wickets by Adam Griffith of Graham Manou (12) and Greg Blewett (2) left South Australia reeling at 3-29 in the ninth over.

Though, Lehmann (36 from 65) and Ferguson (68 from 67) restored the innings and asserted their dominance on the match in a strong 75-run partnership to propel the Redbacks to 3-104.

Cam Borgas (29 from 58) ably assisted Ferguson after Lehmann's dismissal at 4-104, before Ferguson hit former flat-mate Shannon Tubb straight to George Bailey fielding at midwicket with the score on 5-140.

Elliott steered South Australia out of trouble and to victory with an unconquered 40 in only 37 balls with Test discard Jason Gillespie (19no), after Borgas and Cleary (7) were dismissed to leave the visitors in trouble at 7-192 in the 43rd over.

Hilfenhaus (2-29) often struggled with line and length, but was the most fruitful of the bowlers in his 10-over spell, while Griffith (2-49) and Polkinghorne (2-35) were the only other multiple wicket-takers.

Tasmania's next ING Cup encounter is against Victoria on December 18 at Bellerive Oval, while South Australia host New South Wales on that same day.

Full scorecard available here.

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