Tigers get home with late resurgence

Tasmania has claimed a thrilling six-run outright victory on the fourth and final day of the Pura Cup match against Western Australia in Perth.

The home side required nine off the last over, but could only manage two. Adam Voges tried desperately to get the Warriors over the line, calling partner Ben Edmondson through for two. However, Michael Di Venuto was alert and fired down the stumps from long-on.

Earlier, Tasmanian captain Daniel Marsh declared at 7-200, which left the home side with 401 runs to chase in 81 overs.

The Warriors run chase began shakily with three wickets falling inside the first 10 overs and it ended in disaster after cruising towards the target. Voges finished with a cavalier performance of 152 not out. However, he lost the required support at the other end as Ben Hilfenhaus and Brett Geeves claimed the middle-order and tail end wickets.

Hilfenhaus finished with five wickets and was unlucky not to take a sixth when Edmondson survived a confident lbw appeal in his final over, 80th of the innings. Voges recorded his 150 milestone in the final over.

Tim Paine received the man of the match award, a heroic 215 in the Tigers first innings enabled them to gather the two points on offer. Warriors new spin sensation Aaron Heal was a close runner-up, despite claiming 10 wickets in the match, he was pipped at the post.

Tasmania resumed on 5-149, looking to set the Warriors a competitive target to chase in the afternoon sessions. George Bailey (39) and Geeves fell to the spin of youngster Aaron Heal, who claimed five wickets in each innings.

The Warriors run chase received a setback with opener Chris Rogers unable to bat, as an opener, due to a back injury. His replacement, bowler Sean Ervine, was used as a pinch hitter, however, the move backfired and he was out for a 12-ball duck.

Justin Langer fell soon after swinging, lured into a hook shot by Adam Griffith that went straight to Hilfenhaus at fine-leg.

Shaun Marsh and Marcus North steadied the innings to lunch. Marsh was the third to fall, chasing quick runs he nicked the ball through to the keeper. Hilfenhaus had two wickets, while Western Australia was perilously poised at 3-68 at the main interval.

After lunch, North and Voges carved out a 184-run partnership that restored lost hope and doubt on whether the home side could achieve the required target.

Michael Bevan, in a bowling change with the tea break looming, made the important fourth wicket breakthrough, snaring North for 107. The Warriors left handed batsman glided the ball straight to Geeves at deep mid-on.

At tea, Western Australia was 4-221, still requiring 180 runs off 32 overs. Voges was unbeaten on 72, while Rogers not out on three.

Rogers briefly shrugged off his back injury to post 46 valuable runs. Hilfenhaus returned with almost instant success, snaring Rogers with an elegant edge going through to keeper Sean Clingeleffer.

Rogers and Voges shared a fifth wicket stand of exactly 100. When Rogers was dismissed, Western Australia still needed 84 runs. Enter first innings slasher Luke Ronchi.

Ronchi went for it, hitting four quick-fire boundaries that moved Western Australia closer to victory. He fell trying to keep the rate on an even par with the balls remaining for 22, slashing to Michael Di Venuto at long-on.

With six overs remaining, the match suddenly turned from comfortable to delicately poised. Hilfenhaus snared Heal (14) and Geeves claimed Brett Dorey at the start of the next over for a golden duck.

It finished in a thrilling win for the Tigers, their second straight outright for the season and made it a double in Perth after clinching last summers’ match at the WACA.

Both teams return to the WACA on Friday for the Ford Ranger Cup match, game gets underway at 1:15pm local time.

Tasmania - First Innings - 7-553 dec.

Tasmania - Second Innings
M Di VENUTO c Langer b Magoffin 1
T PAINE lbw Heal 56
M BEVAN c Langer b Heal 46
T BIRT c Voges b North 26
G BAILEY c Ronchi b Heal 39
D MARSH c & b Heal 6
S CLINGELEFFER not out 18
B GEEVES st Ronchi b Heal 2

Extras (5b, 1lb) 6
Total: 7 wkts for 200 dec

DNB: B Drew, B Hilfenhaus, A Griffith

Fall: 19, 93, 130, 138, 147, 192, 200.

Bowling: B Dorey 5-1-18-0, S Magoffin 7-1-46-1, B Edmondson 9-2-37-0, A Heal 16.2-2-57-5, M North 10-0-36-1

Batting time: 179 mins. Overs: 47.2.

Western Australia - First Innings - 5-353 dec

Western Australia - Second Innings
J LANGER c Hilfenhaus b Griffith 8
S ERVINE c Clingeleffer b Hilfenhaus 0
S MARSH c Clingeleffer b Hilfenhaus 26
M NORTH c Geeves b Bevan 107
A VOGES not out 152
C ROGERS c Clingeleffer b Hilfenhaus 46
L RONCHI c Di Venuto b Geeves 22
A HEAL c Paine b Hilfenhaus 14
B DOREY lbw b Geeves 0
S MAGOFFIN lbw b Hilfenhaus 6
B EDMONDSON run out 0

Extras (1b, 6lb, 6nb, 0wd) 13
Total: all out for 394

Fall: 0, 8, 43, 217, 317, 346, 366, 366, 385, 394

Bowling: A Griffith 14-2-65-1 (1nb), B Hilfenhaus 17-0-79-5 (1nb), B Drew 8-0-44-0, D Marsh 22-0-95-0, B Geeves 16.3-2-80-2 (4nb), M Bevan 3-0-24-1.

Batting time: - mins. Overs: 80.3

Toss: Western Australia
Umpires: D Orchard, J Brookes.
Venue: WACA Ground, Perth
Attendance: -.
Tasmania won outright by six runs
Points: Tas 6, WA 0.

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