Bevan drags Tigers over the line

A brilliant 73 not-out from former International representative Michael Bevan has guided Tasmania to a four wicket victory over the Queensland Bulls in their ING Cup clash at Bellerive Oval today.

A 100-run stand between Bevan and Tim Paine (57) proved to be the main factor in the Tigers success, as they reached the lowly target of 187 with only three balls remaining. Queensland had no-one else but themselves to blame as they dropped both Bevan and Paine in the dying overs of the match.

The Tigers chase started poorly with opener Travis Birt (6) lofting a pull-shot in only the second over off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson into the safe hands of Andy Bichel.

Only minutes later Johnson struck again, having Michael Di Venuto (6) cutting straight down the throat of Lachlan Stevens at point.

The dismissal of Di Venuto prompted Michael Bevan to stride to the crease. Bevan and opener Dane Anderson continued to make steady inroads towards the lowly total of the Bulls, before Anderson launched a ball straight back to the bowler, Nathan Hauritz, leaving the Tigers in a shaky position.

George Bailey strode to the crease, with the intention of steadying the ship, and this he did for 14 balls before he foolishly attempted to pull a full-length ball and was clean bowled by all-rounder James Hopes.

Hopes was in the action again only a few overs later, forcing Luke Butterworth to flick a ball off his toes straight into the hands of Clinton Perren at mid-wicket, and returning to the pavilion for only a solitary run off 17 balls.

Butterworth’s departure left the Tigers hopes of victory in tatters, as they struggled to 5-83 in the 28th over.

Paine entered the battlefield holding no fears, as he and Bevan patiently dissected the Bulls bowling attack, and at times hit key boundries.

And while Paine was trapped LBW by Michael Kasprowicz with only nine balls remaining, Adam Polkinghorne (2*) managed to drag in the winning runs with only three balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, the Bulls started shakily, sitting not-so-pretty at 2-34 at the conclusion of the 10th over, after Ben Hilfenhaus and Adam Griffith both struck for the Tigers, sending skipper Jimmy Maher (10) and Hopes (17) back to the pavilion cheaply.

Perren and Stevens (17) managed to build a solid partnership of 49, before the innings of the latter was cut short when Darren McNees hit the top edge of Stevens, which landed in the hands of Di Venuto.

McNees again managed to strike, dismissing Hauritz for a solitary single in his next over.

Butterworth then burst onto the scene, collecting the important wicket of Nathan Reardon (13) by bowling him around his legs, leaving the bulls hanging at 5-102 off 34 overs.

A composed innings of 50 from Perren was suddenly brought to a close, when Polkinghorne sent his stumps flying in the 40th over.

Brendan Nash and Chris Hartley then shared in a 33-run partnership before both were dismissed in successive balls.

Off the first ball of the next over, Bichel was cleaned up by Hilfenhaus for a golden duck, before Kasprowicz (5*) and Johnson (17*) added 23 in tandem to bring the Bulls total to 186.

Full scorecard available here.

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