Noffke knocks Victoria out of Pura Cup
Ashley Noffke starred with five wickets as Queensland drove Victoria out of contention for the Pura Cup final
Cricinfo staff
10-Mar-2007
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Ashley Noffke starred with five wickets as Queensland drove Victoria out of contention for the Pura Cup final. Needing 224 for victory, the Bushrangers collapsed to 122 to end their season and severely tarnish their reputation as a team that can chase any total.
Noffke started and finished the devastation, taking the first two wickets and the last three. Grant Sullivan chipped in with 3 for 40 and Andy Bichel took 2 for 32. Victoria had themselves to blame for several of the dismissals, though, with David Hussey, Rob Quiney and Andrew McDonald all caught trying to pull.
Each of them, plus Cameron White (26), who was caught at point, contributed to a string of promising but insufficient partnerships. Victoria lost 4 for 11 at the end as Noffke finished with 5 for 50, which along with his second-innings 53 earned him the Man-of-the-Match award for the second time against Victoria this season.
So unthreatening were Victoria's efforts of 165 and 122, Daniel Doran, the Queensland legspinner, was not required to bowl during the game. It was a disappointing end for Victoria, who in January looked a realistic chance of winning the Twenty20, FR Cup and Pura Cup titles - only the Twenty20 prize eventuated.
"It could have been a mighty season but now it's probably just an ordinary season," White told AAP. "As for a batting plan we had one but we didn't stick to it." The Bushrangers opened the door for both Western Australia and New South Wales, one of whom will take on Tasmania in the Pura Cup final.