Queensland romps home in Adelaide

For the second consecutive time, South Australia's batsmen have let their side down as it tumbled to a 101 run defeat at the hands of Queensland in a one-sided Mercantile Mutual Cup clash here at the Adelaide Oval.

Credit must go to Queensland, though, for getting to 8/244 - without one of its batsmen securing a half-century - after winning the toss and electing to bat.

By contrast, inconsistent batting continues to haunt the Redbacks. In Devonport three weeks ago, they were chasing a modest target of 195 for a win and failed rather emphatically, tallying just 161. Tonight - on an excellent pitch - they were set 245 to win at a ground where in previous matches this season they have made 6/248 (from forty-three overs), 7/260, 7/293. Yet they failed miserably and reached just 143 this evening.

How can this happen? Queensland's bowlers gave little away, but can the question of Darren Lehmann's absence be such a factor in a woeful showing with the bat? Maybe not; in SA's last win, Lehmann was not present as it totalled 293 against a New South Wales side which now seems likely to edge the Redbacks out of a spot in a Final that will now be played at the WACA Ground in Perth.

Is the gap of three weeks between games, during which batsmen go back to club cricket facing bowlers of lesser intensity, the reason? For a while now, it has been said thirteen club sides is too high a number for a city with a population of less than Perth, whose side has played in six domestic one-day Finals (winning three) as opposed to SA's one appearance in the last ten seasons. For some time, it has also been said that there aren't the same pressures at club level as there used to be in recent years. South Australia's winless record in the ACB Cup (second XI) competition this season indicates a lack of depth in club ranks.

Alas, only a late flurry from Graham Manou (42*) and a solid effort at the top of order from Greg Blewett (29) really gave the Redbacks anything to smile about, as they alone showed the application that was required. Blewett suffered the worst of luck, being run out off the boot of James Hopes, as he followed through and collided with a Ben Johnson straight drive. This started a slide of mass proportions; a scoreline of 3/58 quickly became 8/89 in the space of a mere eighteen overs as Hopes (5/29 from ten overs) demolished the upper and middle Redback order.

One must give full credit to Hopes and also Andy Bichel (0/16 off ten) who tied up his end in a splendid opening spell of six overs from the Bradman Stand End of six overs. He built up the pressure superbly in the early overs, the asking rate quickly rising to six an over after David Fitzgerald (4) went in the fourth to a catch at mid off. Chris Davies (18) hit three boundaries, but used up forty deliveries before chipping a ball to just forward of square leg. The catch of Matthew Hayden to dismiss Johnson (14), when he dived full stretch to his right at backward point, was also a defining moment.

Those who saw Hayden's brilliant gully catching here last March in the Pura Cup match wouldn't have been surprised at the effort here this evening. But it needs to be said that the burly Queenslander is simply a brilliant catcher.

Earlier, it was the batting from Hayden and company that ensured that South Australia would have to work hard to earn a victory tonight. Hayden and Jimmy Maher (17) forged a bright opening of fifty-five in eleven overs before a ball ran off the face of the latter's bat and found its way into Manou's gloves in Mick Miller's opening over.

Then Mark Harrity, who bowled with good pace from the Bradman Stand End, had Stuart Law (4) flick off his toes to square leg. Hayden (48) followed in the next over and, when Miller induced a top edge from pinch hitter Bichel (13), Queensland were approaching the halfway point at a near-desparate 4/96.

They need not have feared as Lee Carseldine (34), who looked to South Australia at one stage pre-season for his future, added forty-four runs in thirteen overs with Clinton Perren (33). Brendan Nash (31 off 29 balls) also played neatly and with pluck to add forty-seven for the sixth wicket in just eight overs.

The finishing touches came from veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Wade Seccombe, who smashed twenty off the fateful final over from Blewett to end with a cracking 45 from thirty-two balls, including two lusty sixes into the Members' enclosure as the Bulls added eighty-three from the final ten overs.

On the bowling front, Miller (3/27) provided the standout performance. Jason Gillespie, along with the Australian selectors, probably breathed a sigh of relief as he bowled well in his second spell to recover and turn figures of 5-0-26-0 into 2/49 from his full allotment. Harrity, often maligned for waywardness and injury, bowled his overs consecutively and accurately for figures of 1/41.

So where to now for South Australia? Next Saturday presents another challenge in the form of a Victorian team which has played well in recent times. The Redbacks will clearly need to regroup, and regroup strongly.

Queensland plays competition leader Western Australia in its last match, a pyrrhic one in many ways given that the Bulls have no chance of making the ultimate match of this Mercantile Mutual Cup season. Nevertheless, they will likely take significant confidence away from this particular result.